Windbound
by dantemalfoy
Summary: Draco/Harry, Ron/Hermione, Hannah/Dean, Justin/Daphne, Ginny/? My take on the Marriage Law. Should they obey the government's edict or fight it the Muggle way? This leads to marriage equality. Plus there's a twist exploring how a Horcrux operates.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: The world and characters of Harry Potter belong to JK Rowlings.

This story is D/H post-DH. Slash. It will start as a Marriage Law fic but will change into something else.

_Windbound – A condition wherein the ship is detained in one particular station by contrary winds._

**September 10****th**** 1998**  
**Hogwarts**

Hermione Granger walked rapidly to the Library, after adroitly evading Peeves. She wore neatly her school uniform; her bushy hair was somewhat tamed thanks to the advice of Ginny. The petite redhead had apparently read in _Witch Weekly_ about a new spell developed by Avernius Lockhart to tame hair. This individual was the cousin of a certain G. Lockhart who was in St. Mungo's. He shared the same narcissistic qualities but Avernius used them at least positively.

Hermione still had to do the Ancient Runes homework. Unfortunately none of the Gryffindors took that class, except for Lavender Brown, and she was determined to let the blonde bimbo flounder on her own.

The Library was almost deserted, only Susan Bones and Terry Boot were there. Hermione made her determined way to her favorite table and sat down. She soon heard someone greeting Terry and Susan and that person put down some books next to her. She turned and saw the Slytherin, Draco Malfoy. He still looked somewhat thin after having endured one year under the watchful eyes of Riddle Jr. He had cut his hair short, and did not look as pale as always, having gone to Barcelona for two weeks.

Hermione remembered 10 days after the Battle, when Harry, Ron and she were having breakfast in 12 Grimmauld Place, witnessing the sudden arrival of a regal Eagle owl, bearing an urgent missive from Draco, asking for their help in keeping the Malfoy family free.

Of course Ron was of a mind to let them fend for themselves, and Hermione initially agreed with that viewpoint, until Harry made an impassioned speech about extending olive branches to former enemies. He made the point that the Malfoys committed mistakes, grievous ones; but in the end they abstained from battle and sought only to help each other.

At the end, Hermione concurred and the two of them gave their testimony at a plenary session of the Wizengamot. Ron decided to go to the Burrow that day. In front of the Wizengamot, they spoke about the fact that Draco Malfoy kept their identity secret that fateful day at the Manor, that Narcissa Malfoy saved Harry's life by outright lying to Voldemort in front of his Death Eaters, that Draco's shout in the Room of Hidden Things earned precious seconds to escape Crabbe and Goyle's attacks, which eventually saved them.

The Wizengamot faced the strong support of two of the Light's icons for the Malfoys, it was forced to declare them free. From that day forward, Harry and Hermione were faced with a relentlessly polite Draco, and they started to accept, even enjoy his company, and his somewhat tempered acerbic wit. Unfortunately Ron would not bury the hatchet and remained as contrary as ever; quite a different position from Harry's wisdom and depth of maturity.

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Hermione was forcibly yanked from her reverie by Draco's cheerful voice saying, "What are you doing here, Hermione?"

Hermione turned to the Slytherin and narrowed her eyes, saying "Why are you so cheerful, Malfoy?" "What are you reading?"

Hermione skillfully grabbed Draco's book and read the title, "_Magical Inheritance by Abo Gado_." Her eyes twinkled and Hermione continued excitedly, "Hey, Magical Inheritance! Does this mean you are a Veela? Do you have to have a mate or you will die? Is it Harry?"

Draco blushed and then chuckled, trying to deal with an excitable Hermione. "You are wrong, Granger. Not all blond people are Veelas, or Scandinavia would be a giant love nest. On second thought, maybe they are Veelas!"

"Anyway, the book is about Magical Inheritance, like for example, the inheritance of large _estates_."

"You see, centuries ago the Tudors and Stuarts liked to employ Parliament to issue Bills of Attainder and grab hold of noble estates, which they would later use as they saw fit. Kind of like the Ministry of Magic today. Many purebloods, as a result, cast complex spells on their estates, binding them exclusively to their blood. That way, if someone unlawfully seized their assets, they would be put directly under Gringott's management."

"The kings got the message and left us alone. Those spells are still active. The estate always goes to the next in blood, and there can be no obstructions. That's why in many Wizarding families there can be no disownment. That is also why some Wizarding families do not disinherit their own heirs, if they did, the money would disappear from their grasp and end up in Gringott's."

"Those spells were the only thing that kept the Ministry from confiscating our estate. If we had been declared guilty and sent to Azkaban, then they would have had the right of seizure. Because we were declared free, the spells protected our ancestral wealth."

Hermione remembered something and countered, "But Sirius Black left the Black assets to Harry. How could he have done that with this magical inheritance thing?"

Draco turned on his side, studied Hermione carefully, smirked and replied, "The Blacks were not among those families that enacted the spells, they were far too independent and eccentric to do that. They preferred to dwell in absolute splendor: _Toujours pur_."

"Of course, seeing that blasted thing they proudly called their family tapestry, I'm convinced some of them were crazy. To whimsically disinherit family members is stupid. A guy was disowned for lending money to one of the several Blacks whose names were blacklisted on the tapestry. I wouldn't take that thing, even if Kreacher chased me and beat me with a serrated broomstick."

Hermione noticed a curious parchment among Draco's documents, about 14 by 17 inches. She made to grab it but Draco was faster than her. He kept it at arm's length.

She pouted and asked, "What is that, Draco?"

"Can you keep a secret, Granger?"  
"Of course!"

Draco drawled, "When father and mother were at Hogwarts, they were very good in some subjects. Mother liked Charms and Father excelled in Arithmancy. In her First Year, Flitwick gave Mom an assignment, and she asked the help of the Head Boy Lucius Malfoy."

"The assignment having been finished, they continued on a quest of their own choosing. They came upon the idea of a drawing depicting where everybody was in Hogwarts."

Hermione gasped, and Draco continued nonchalantly, "When Father left, Mother carried on the task. During her last year at Hogwarts, she was joined in that quest by the redoubtable Severus Snape, my godfather-to-be. Unfortunately, in June 1975 they did not notice when a small rodent, a traitorous rat, spied on their meetings. Wormtail later relished boasting to Father how he blabbed everything they discussed about their project to the young Marauders."

"Unfortunately Remus Lupin was better at Charms than Narcissa, and they were able to finish their Marauder's Map."  
Hermione interjected, "How do you know about it?"

Draco smirked as he replied, "Life under Voldemort was boring sometimes, Hermione. Wormtail liked to talk about his former friends and their exploits, at times it seemed as if he was in awe of them. I wonder why he betrayed them if he thought so."

"At any rate, Severus graduated and left Hogwarts. It was only years later, when Severus returned to teach here, that he developed a special potion that allowed the completion of their task."

Draco flourished the parchment, presented it and said, "Hermione, here is the _Schlangenkarte_."  
Hermione replied huffily, "The Serpent's Map?"

She grabbed hold of an edge of the parchment and nothing happened. She continued, "Why does it have a German name? How does it work?"

Draco answered serenely, "When it was finished, Severus was on a German kick. He had to learn it in order to study ancient medieval manuscripts of the Holy Roman Empire concerning old alchemical methods like magical distillation and the basics of transmutation, the same texts which Nicholas Flamel perused in Aachen in 1541."

"As to how it operates, I assure you that it does not work on the basis of something as plebeian as a silly sentence serving as password. It only works when touched by the hands of a Malfoy, Black or Snape."

Saying that, Draco held the parchment in his hands and Hermione was astounded to note how the Serpent's Map operated. It did not show a complete Hogwarts representation like the Marauder's Map. Instead she could only see the Library, the corridors in the North and West side, and some adjoining classrooms.

She remembered one time her father was talking to the architect in charge of building the swimming pool, and she observed his architectural drawings. The Slytherin's Map looked just like that.

She was amused to note that the picture in the Map changed position according to how Draco moved his index finger. It acted like a pointing device. She was of a mind to tell Draco that his finger was a mouse, but she knew he would be first baffled and then enraged, better to bide her time.

The Map showed the same level of detail as the other one, with some notable exceptions. She studied the circle denoting Susan Bones and was amused to see a small icon depicting a seemingly hallucinating badger, with her name and the initials HB. Likewise, Terry was represented by an image denoting a dyspeptic eagle and the words MB. She was enraged to note that her own icon was a seemingly psychotic lion and the initials MB, Malfoy was shown with a drawing of a smirking snake and the initials PB.

She asked somewhat irately, "What's with all the initials, Malfoy?"

Draco answered calmly, "You have to realize when the Map was made, and who made it. At that time, they believed completely in Riddle's ideals, which were also the ideas that had been circulating in Hogwarts for years. So they decided the Map would show who was Pureblood, Half-blood or Muggleborn."

"In my opinion, it was a waste of time to design the Map so. The device could show much more useful information, if only I could direct it, or program it as they did."

"Unfortunately, I once believed the same ideas until I was brutally shown how stupid they were when I witnessed Voldemort killing people notwithstanding their heritage."

"Living under the shadow of death, I made a vow with myself: that I would be free. If not free to do as I wanted, at least free from the imposed prejudices I grew under."

"But enough of my maudlin thoughts. I should have had the Map for the entirety of my school career, but my esteemed godfather decided that it would be better if I got it later. As if I would have abused the privilege!"

Hermione quickly hid behind a book as she rolled her eyes, imagining the mischief Draco would have undoubtedly caused if he had had the use of the Map earlier. She pictured Harry being attacked by Slytherins disguised as Dementors as he made his leisure way to the kitchen in Third Year. She imagined the Trio suffering heinous curses as the aftermath of the attack on Draco at the end of Fifth Year. It would have been difficult.

As Draco continued ranting about Snape's unfairness, Hermione could not help but observe how sad his eyes looked, how he hunched his shoulders when he spoke of Severus. Clearly the Potions Master was sorely missed by his godson.

Seeking to distract him, Hermione asked, "When did you get the Map, Draco?"

Draco visibly brightened and replied, "I got it last year. It was clear from Severus' demeanor that he hoped I would use it to escape the Carrows' deadly vigilance."

"I believe I used it wisely. You can ask Ginny if you want."  
Hermione asked, astounded, "Ginny, what does she have to do with it?"

Draco stared at Hermione earnestly and replied, "I used the Map to spy on the Carrows. I knew they detested Ginny for being a Weasley, and Longbottom for defying them so. When I surmised that Amycus or Alecto were on the way to torture them, sometimes I would manage to casually interrupt their sessions with supposedly important messages from other Slytherins."

"I could not use that tactic always, but it was enough to deflect a little the insane Carrows."

"In the Map, I also witnessed the confrontation between Severus and the Heads of Houses, when they cornered him and forced him to jump out the window. It was the last time I ever saw Severus, as I noticed his name flicker and vanish on the Map he created, leaving Hogwarts for the last time."

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They were interrupted by the arrival of three Gryffindors, Harry, Ron and Ginny. Hermione noticed that Draco unobtrusively put the Map beneath all his other parchments.

Ron sat at the other end of the Library; he appeared to be studying intently a book he'd taken from his school bag. He did not look as thin as he had when they came back from the horcrux hunt, he had filled up, undoubtedly due to the gargantuan meals Mrs. Weasley had been cooking lately, trying to deflect her sadness due to the loss of her son.

Ron still had black rings under his eyes, a sign that he slept poorly. For once, he had thrown himself into school work to deal with the loss of Fred. He also tried to preserve some sense of continuity, and of course one of those threads was his enmity with Malfoy.

On the second day of classes, Ron had taunted Draco and intimated that his mother was a shared commodity among the Death Eaters. Then he punched Draco, expecting he would walk away scot-free like the time he hit Draco during the Final Battle. Instead he had faced a very irate Slytherin and Ron came away with a broken nose and a severe beating.

After staying in the Infirmary and having been thoroughly chastised by an irate Madame Pomphrey, they were led to the Headmistress's office, where Ron expected McGonagall would be lenient towards him, after all, he was a hero of the Light. Slughorn would probably put a weak defense of Malfoy. They all knew he secretly favored Gryffindor.

Instead they faced a stern McGonagall and a person she introduced as Liz Lehmke. McGonagall said she was Hogwarts' _Ombudswoman_ and glared ferociously at Draco.

Ron remembered hearing his father and Percy talk about some abstruse condition the Slytherins had requested in order to return to Hogwarts. As if the slimy snakes had the right to do so!

Percy had calmed his father, who was incensed, saying that the Slytherins felt the Headmistress would be too partial to Gryffindor. Matters of punishment would be reviewed by an _Ombudswoman_ appointed by the Ministry who would have the final say. Otherwise the Slytherins threatened to withdraw themselves from Hogwarts, and the school could poorly absorb this drain of resources added to the costs of war reparations.

At the end, Lehmke acted fairly, and when the Headmistress punished Slytherin with 100 points for Malfoy's outburst, Liz quickly took 200 points off Gryffindor for provoking and starting the assault.  
After this event, Ron tended to avoid Malfoy as much as possible, and so was skulking around in the Library.

Ginny approached Hermione's table, and brushing her fiery red hair aside, called mockingly, "Hey there, ferret!"  
Draco responded gamely, "What's up, Weaselette?"

Ginny looked like a Scandinavian maid who would just as soon join her Viking in sailing to the edge of the world as in caring for their offspring. She was willowy and had strong, intelligent features. She liked to banter with Draco.

They had shared a very rough year in Hogwarts, when Draco was around, that is. He always seemed to appear at the most unexpected moments, like when she was about to be tortured. It was unsettling, but it made her reappraise the pale boy and decide that maybe he had changed.

Ginny asked, "Where is Finch-Fletchley? I need to discuss with him our plans for Hogsmeade."  
Harry sat down next to Ginny and replied, "I saw him five minutes ago talking to Susan, must be Head business."

Ginny replied conspiratorially, "Figures, they are up to something!"  
Hermione answered sententiously, "Come on, Ginny! They are good Heads."

The redhead narrowed her eyes and answered rebelliously, "I still think Harry should have been the Head Boy, or at least Ron; but they had to go and choose Justin. The world's crazy, I tell you." Apparently Ginny did not respect the curly-haired Hufflepuff at all.

Harry replied softly, "They were the best choice. They represent the best of both settings, the Muggle and the magical world. They are what is left of our innocence. They fought for the right side, it is time they enjoy some of the fruits of their labor. They are the side of Hogwarts that works quietly in the shadows, like the roots of a tree, providing support and succor."

Harry looked like a prince among men. He, like Ron, benefited from Mrs. Weasley's culinary skills. He wore the customary school uniform, his frame having filled at last. His unruly hair was still as wild as ever. He'd nearly been convinced by Ginny to get contacts, but he decided to keep his glasses. He had a healthy tan, maybe because of the hours he'd spent in the Weasley garden throwing gnomes around.

When the brouhaha of the victory over Voldemort's forces had died down, Harry asked Ginny to go out together again. To his surprise, Ginny had answered negatively. She had made the telling point that she had been really devastated because he had broken things with her. Surely she was on Voldemort's list already for being one of his friends and a Weasley, so his reasons for breaking up with her seemed facile to Ginny in retrospect. She wasn't sure she should acquiesce to his wishes this time, only to be brutally yanked from her dreams when his insecurity reared its ugly head again.

So now Harry and Ginny were friends. There was a subtle tension between them, but Ginny was comforted by the fact that Harry behaved like a perfect gentleman, as was his wont.

Ginny confided her troubled feelings to her friend Hermione. The brunette offered encouragement and in turn related her own ambivalent feelings towards Ron. She liked him, a lot, but she felt there were quite a number of barriers to be surmounted before they would be ready to bond; their constant fights were distracting at best and depressing at worst.

On Friday, they had pineapple jam, Harry's beloved flavor. He was enjoying it as the owls bearing messages came in. Hermione, Ginny and Ron had urged him to get another owl, but Harry couldn't bear to have a replacement for Hedwig.

Draco was eating breakfast – at the Hufflepuff table. Surprisingly enough, he had made friends of Justin, Hannah Abbot, Susan Bones and Terry Boot. Draco's main bone of contention had been with the Gryffindors, so it was somewhat easy for some Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws to accept him. One of the many aftermaths of the war was that most people were tired of fighting, at the moment they adopted the motto 'live and let live.'

Gregory Goyle, Pansy Parkinson and several other Slytherins had transferred abroad.  
Draco occasionally regaled them with stories of his friends' adventures in Durmstrang, like the time Goyle took the wrong boat at the Lake and ended up in Yokohama instead of Gdansk, or Pansy's trouble in following the inane tales of History of Magic. It would seem that class was fated to be boring, even when living persons imparted it. Blaise Zabini was studying his final year in Beauxbatons, and he wrote to Draco about life in beautiful Languedoc.

Draco still bristled easily, and he was sometimes a caustic observer, but he just seemed much more sure of himself lately, and able to tolerate differences of opinion with other people that would have enraged him before.

Of course there were a lot of students disgruntled with Malfoy and his role in the war. Malfoy didn't react as strongly as before to their taunts, though.

One morning Zacharias Smith started taunting Draco on the corridor in front of the Potions classroom, wondering how they allowed cowardly Death Eaters to study at Hogwarts. Surprising Smith, Ginny jumped to Draco's defense, saying that the Malfoys had saved Harry's life at least three times, and as for the cowardly tag, Draco had been in the Final Battle, while Smith himself turned tail and ran.

Several students snickered and laughed when they heard that.  
Smith had snorted and countered that he very much doubted that. Then Ron walked by and said forcefully, "It's true that Malfoy was there. I know because I punched him right after a Death Eater attacked him!"

When they attacked Draco, he replied in kind. If they ever hexed him, his response was brutal. After all, he had been living with Death Eaters for quite a while and would know many painful, legal spells.

More than once he was saved from McGonagall's draconic punishments by the unflappable Liz Lehmke. Seeing that McGonagall had the knack of letting the other parties walk away free and concentrate her ire on Draco, the _Ombudswoman_ warned the Headmistress that if her bigotry got the better of her, she would report it to the Ministry and she would be dismissed as Headmistress.

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Hermione took the newspaper offered by the owl and put the corresponding coins in its pouch. She opened the page and began to read, her eyes widening. The constant whispering and murmuring in the Great Hall ceased completely and there was a deathly quiet.

Hermione read:

_**Marriage Law approved by the Wizengamot**_

_The Government, worried about the decline in population due to the past wars, has taken measures to counteract this. The Wizengamot proposed, and Minister of Magic Shacklebolt is expected to sign into law a measure that would ensure the survival of the Wizarding World._

_Taking into account the constant and debilitating resentment caused by Blood issues, it has been decided that all Wizarding subjects aged 18 to 40, currently unmarried, will be duly wed and should be expecting a child within one year of their marriage. The unions will take place in such a form that a Pureblood will marry a Muggleborn, a Muggleborn a Pureblood or Half-blood, and a Half-blood either one of the other two._

_In the next days, the happy couples should receive notifications of who are their future spouses. The couplings were done using the Goblet of Truth, a foolproof magical device._

_Failure to comply with the provisions of this law will result in loss of magic and complete obliviation of Wizard memories._

_These harsh actions are taken to ensure the renewed growth of our decimated society. When asked to comment, Minister Shacklebolt replied succinctly, "It's for the common good."_

_Reporter_

_Rita Skeeter_

Draco noticed the sudden silence and turned to look at Susan, she and Justin appeared to be absorbed in reading the Daily Prophet. Draco turned to his other side, stole the paper from Terry and proceeded to read the article, after having promised his help with Terry's Arithmancy homework. Who would have guessed that Ravenclaws could be so devious?

The blond paled as he read the dreadful news. He discreetly looked around and found that many of his classmates were literally slack-jawed. Hermione and Ginny were pale and seemed about to faint. In contrast, Ron looked normal and fleetingly smirked, while Harry, after reading the distressing news, nodded benevolently to Neville Longbottom.


	2. Chapter 2

True to Skeeter's report, over the weekend owls started arriving bearing the news of who would be married to whom.

Draco found that Justin's fiancée was Daphne Greengrass. Luckily for both of them, they liked the choices selected for them, Justin had even asked Draco for tips on how to woo Daphne, and she appeared entranced by the curly-haired would-be Etonian. Daphne commented to Draco she was very afraid of who would be chosen for her sister, Astoria. The beautiful blonde was home-schooled in the West Midlands and therefore did not attend Hogwarts.

Draco reminded Daphne that the silly Marriage Law specifically stated the minimum age would be 18 years old, so Astoria had some time before she was forced like all of them to enter an unwilling yoke.

Susan, for whom Draco had a soft spot, had been selected for Etienne Zabini, a cousin of Blaise's. Unfortunately the blond knew that Etienne was a vain cheating bastard, and he despaired of having to see the gentle Susan tie the knot with that character.

Hannah, the brunette Hufflepuff, was betrothed to Zacharias Smith. Again Draco felt a lot of rage at the Ministry, for forcing sweet Hannah to marry that foul-mouthed git. Ginny had once jokingly compared Smith and Draco, saying that they were both blonds and gits. In reality, however, Draco had changed and was not a complete bastard, even if only to those he cared about; while Smith continued antagonizing everybody in the school, including his own house.

These and many other couples had been notified on Saturday. They were also told they had until January 12th 1999 to comply and get married, or else.

Draco's contacts at the Ministry suggested that the second wave of notifications should arrive on Sunday. They would have to marry before January 20th.

The blond ate timorously his breakfast, waiting for the menacing owls to appear. As if answering his mental summons, several barn owls flew over the tables and went to selected individuals. Draco saw Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Harry and Terry get owls.

A particularly stubborn-looking owl landed in front of him. Draco disdainfully untied the parchment and gave the owl some bacon, which the bird ate surprisingly daintily before flying off.

Draco opened the parchment and read:

_Dear Mr. Draco Malfoy:_

_On behalf of the Department of Magical Nuptials and the Ministry of Magic, it is my pleasure to inform you that Miss Lavender Brown is your future wife. You are expected to marry her before January 20__th__ 1999 and produce at least one baby out of this union by January 20__th__, 2000._

_We remain courteously at your service,_

_Sincerely_

_Ernest M. Bradsee_

_Head of DMN (Department of Magical Nuptials)_

_cc. Mr. Kingsley Shacklebolt_

_Minister of Magic_

_cc. Woodgrinder_

_General Manager of Gringott's_

Draco was enraged. How did they dare pair him up with that ditzy Gryffindor? How in hell would Lavender be a great Mrs. Malfoy? What were they thinking?

More importantly, why did they have to send copies of this message to Shacklebolt and Gringott's? They should not be interested at all, unless…

Draco took out a parchment and his last quill from his school bag and wrote a letter to his father:

_Father,_

_I'm sure you know by now about this farce of a Marriage Law and who is supposed to become your daughter-in-law. I suggest we join forces, because the continuance of the Malfoy family is at stake, something for which we have endured so much, something we love beyond life itself._

_I'm sure you still have good contacts at the Ministry and elsewhere. One thing that surprised me is that the fools sent a copy of my message to Gringott's. I can only surmise why they did that. I'm sure we could meet in Hogsmeade at the Hog's Head the next Saturday._

_Your son,_

_Draco _

Draco took out his Hawthorne wand, dutifully returned by Harry. He swished it energetically over the parchment and used a spell which would substitute each word for its equivalent numerical value according to Arithmancy, and then would scramble the numbers, acting like a cryptographic device. The numbers – and words – could be unscrambled only by the counterspell of a family member.

Draco left to the Owlery to send the letter with his bird Osiris.

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Ginny received her parchment from a very energetic owl, a little like Pig, but bigger and less exuberant. She read the notice and her face fell.

Hermione turned to look at Ginny, ready to tell her the news of who her partner was, when she noticed Ginny looking subdued. The brunette asked, "What's wrong, Ginny?"

"You won't believe who they have paired me with!"

"Who, Malfoy?"

"No, in a sense that would have been better. My future partner is the one and only Boy Who Lived, Vanquisher of Voldemort!"

"Aren't you happy, Ginny? I thought this was what you wanted."

"If you had asked me that a year and a half ago, I would have answered with a resounding yes. Things change, though. At that time Harry hadn't left me to go on this quest of his."

"He had yet to break up with me for 'my own protection.' Tell me, Hermione, am I supposed to only obey his commands? Do I have to sit unseen, gathering dust, until he sees fit to notice me out of the goodness of his heart and takes me to the light?"

Ginny sighed and said, "I guess these will remain unanswered questions, for now I am to become Mrs. Potter. What about you, Hermione? Who will you marry?"

Hermione blushed and answered simply, "Ron."

Ginny replied somewhat bitterly, "Then you must be happy, you are marrying the love of your life, why aren't you prancing around like Lavender?" Ginny pointed at the blonde Gryffindor, who could be seen as she danced a victory dance.

Hermione answered, subdued, "I am happy, Ginny. It is just that I thought I would not marry straight out of school, I would go to University perhaps, or travel around the world for some time before settling down and marrying. Much as I love your mother, I don't want to be exactly like her."

Then Ron started guffawing loudly, and even the suddenly serious Harry chuckled once or twice. When asked by Ginny what was so funny, Ron answered, "Lavender! Lav-Lav is going to marry the ferret! Isn't it wonderful? They will have blond, ditzy ferrety gits!"

Ginny walked away, disgusted at his immature brother. If only he grew up, he'd be perfect for Hermione.

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**September 19****th****, 1998**

**The Hog's Head, Hogsmeade**

After breakfast, Draco made his way to Hogsmeade, where he was to rendezvous with Lucius in the Hog's Head. He proposed this place to his father knowing that his new friends loved the Three Broomsticks and could be counted upon to be there at some point in the morning. As he passed Scrivenshaft's he got in and bought some quills and parchment.

He'd had a headache because he'd spent most of the night listening to the woes of Susan, Hannah, and Terry, who had to marry Anastasia Warbeck, a niece of the Weird Sisters singer who was 39 years old. Fortunately he had time to grab an Anti-headache potion from the Infirmary, the last batch brewed by his godfather.

Draco entered the Hog's Head and instantly recognized Lucius's leonine mane. Malfoy was seated in a booth at the back of the establishment. Draco made his way there after staring a bit at the ominous tusks of the hog's head adorning the wall. As he approached the table he cast some privacy charms.

Draco nodded and smirked at Lucius, who smirked back. Draco took a seat across from his father. The owner, Aberforth Dumbledore, walked to their table and nodded imperceptibly to them. Aberforth's icy blue eyes stared fixedly at the two Malfoys as he took their order. The man did not have Albus's complete faith in the goodness of the Universe, on the other hand, he was considerably less manipulative, and therefore had a tentative friendly relation with the elder Malfoy.

Lucius imperiously raised an eyebrow and ordered some firewhisky. Draco wanted some elf brandy acquired from the fabled Alfheim. Then father and son got down to business and started comparing notes on the infamous Marriage Law.

Lucius drawled lazily, "My Muggle contacts tell me about a strange law that is going to be introduced to the House of Commons. I've made sure that you will receive one copy today, as well as a copy of the document presented to the Wizengamot."

Lucius continued, "My former associates tell me that the Marriage Law will also apply to young people who do not reside currently in Britain. Pansy Parkinson is to marry Seamus Finnigan, and Gregory Goyle should marry Marietta Edgecombe. Blaise Zabini will have to marry Padma Patil. It seems no one is safe, these are sorry tidings indeed."

To change the somber mood, Draco asked, "How is mother faring?"

Lucius smirked, took a sip from his firewhisky, and tapped Draco's shoe with his cane, replying, "She is as good as can be, Draco. She is mad about this outrage. I considered bringing her here but I knew that if she met someone she didn't like, someone like Aberforth, she might make a scene. You know your mother's temper as well as I do, Draco."

The elder Malfoy drawled, "It has also come to my attention that Gringott's seems to be preparing for an expansion, even if the current economic climate does not appear to warrant such conclusions."

"Draco, you'll do what you have to do to ensure that our family continues."

Draco and his father looked at each other intently. So many months they lived on the razor's edge, where a minor gesture could doom any or all of them to the reckless and mad disregard of Voldemort. They endured because they put family in first place.

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After spending a rather strained morning with Hermione, Ron and her _fiancé_, Ginny decided to call it quits and head back to Hogwarts.

When she walked past Zonko's, she wiped a tear from her eye as she fondly remembered Fred. Ginny heard the sound of Apparition and found herself looking at a bespectacled wizard with red hair. Ginny hugged her brother, Percy returned the hug stiffly and nodded austerely. They started talking about the family and how Molly was faring. Percy asked casually how Ron was doing in school.

Ginny mentioned that Ron appeared to be doing well, apart from the occasional tantrum. When she informed him of Ron's upcoming nuptials, Percy did not seem overly surprised. Indeed he confided in her that he would marry his longtime girlfriend, Penelope Clearwater. They chatted about their friends, and Ginny informed him that the Trio were in the Three Broomsticks. A bit later they said goodbye and Percy continued down to the Post Office and the other end of the town.

Ginny returned to Hogwarts and arrived at Gryffindor Tower, stopping in front of a glaring Fat Lady that had been happily dozing when she murmured the password, '_All your base are belong to us_.' Ginny was ready to hex the halfwit Muggleborn that had come up with that grammatically incorrect and inane saying.

She made her way up to the stairs stealthily, used to going places without being heard or else having to suffer her stubborn brothers following her. Just as she made it to the door, she heard a soft whisper in the other dorm; Lavender, Parvati, and Hermione's room. She opened her door and was about to enter when she could have sworn she heard the name 'Draco.' Being a sister of the infamous Twins, Ginny was prepared with some pranking artifacts.

She took out the Extendable Ears, deployed them and prepared to listen. She could hear a strange conversation between Lavender and Parvati.

"_I'm sorry you'll have to marry that poor sod, Parvati. You could come and live with me in Malfoy Manor."_

"_Will your husband allow that?"_

"_It won't matter what he says. It'll all belong to me then. If not you can live with Padma. Seamus, Padma, Retta and I, we will be set up for life!"_

Ginny was so shocked that she fell back against the door on the other side of the corridor. She just had time to grab the Ears, bolt to her room and close the door before Padma came out to investigate the sudden noise.

Ginny spent the rest of the day and part of the night pondering what she had heard. It all made no sense whatsoever.

The next day, during lunch, Seamus Finnigan came up to the Hufflepuff table, where Draco was seated, and wanted to know if Pansy was still a virgin, how many guys she had slept with, what her tastes in men were like; all this delivered with condescension and self-righteousness. Seamus seemed to think that as a member of the Light, he was entitled to some fun; after all, to the victor goes the spoils.

Draco was incensed and wanted to yell at Finnigan and punch his snobby face, when his arm was stopped by Harry, who had rapidly approached them when he sensed trouble brewing.

Harry said, "There is no need to be so smug, Seamus. What Pansy has done is her business. Your business is to take care of her, not demean her. As for your attitude, you have to remember that hundreds of people fought at the Final Battle. Your contribution, though appreciated, was simply one of many."

Finnigan left with a sour mien. Meanwhile Draco wrenched his arm from Harry and asked him bitterly, "Why did you stop me, Potter? I would have loved to throw a punch at that smart ass."

"Don't waste your time on him, Draco. He's always been a little dimwitted, I remember him making my life difficult because _his mother_ thought I was a menace. He's always displayed a fickle temperament. Leave him alone and let fate decide."

"I'm going to the Room of Requirement to practice, care to go with me?"

Draco turned inquisitive eyes to Harry and announced a little grandly, "Sure, I'll go, Harry."

Susan Bones added herself to their small group with studied nonchalance. She thought she might forget for a while her horrible fate to marry Etienne. Draco's reports about the unbecoming conduct of Zabini concurred with the story told by Grunhilde Maval, a friend of hers who almost got her heart broken by the good-looking git. Like many of the Zabinis, Etienne was very handsome.

They got to the tapestry of the ballet-dancing trolls and Harry paced back and forth, concentrating on what he wanted.

The door appeared and they entered. The Room was furnished with tatamis and a collection of impressive swords on the walls. Harry waved his Elder wand and temporarily transfigured his uniform into loose and sturdy trousers and shirt.

Draco and Susan followed suit. When Draco approached the wall and made to remove a sword, Harry interrupted him saying, "I'd like to start with spells, Draco. I suppose you must know many different spells and curses which could be considered grey or Dark. I'd like to learn to defend against them more rapidly, if possible."

Susan piped up, "Yes, teach us that, Draco! If only uncle Edgar or aunt Amelia could have learned that in time to save themselves! I will not allow myself to become another victim of dark wizards." Susan shoved her plaited hair aside with an energetic gesture and directed piercing brown eyes at Draco.

The lesson duly started and Harry had to admit to himself that Draco was a good teacher. He would pronounce slowly the incantations, show the required wand movements with grace, and he liked to expound a little on the history of the spell, citing when it had been discovered, or what it had been originally used for.

He started with unconventional uses for Light spells and some Grey curses. Defending against such magic took its toll, though, and they were forced to stop after one hour. Susan easily took care of any lesions. She wanted to become a Healer, and was already quite proficient at many of the spells that Madame Pomphrey used.

After healing them, Susan left to go to the Library and do the Herbology homework with Hannah and Terry.

Harry and Draco were left alone. Harry swished and flicked the Elder wand with verve and _accio'd_ some butterbeer provided by the Room. He motioned for Draco to get one of the glasses and they fell into easy banter.

They talked about Grimmauld Place, which Draco remembered visiting as a child. Draco asked about Teddy Lupin's welfare. Unfortunately all the letters that Narcissa had written trying to reconcile family differences with Andromeda Tonks were returned unopened.

Harry talked about his stay at the Burrow, dealing with the grieving Weasley family. He described being torn between continuing with Ginny or not, until the fateful letters arrived.

Harry took a sip of his butterbeer and asked excitedly, "Is your father an Animagus? I mention it because given that Snape was one, I supposed your father could be another. Maybe you have tips about how to become one?"

Draco poured a second glass of butterbeer as he fixed Harry with a penetrating stare, and he responded to the exuberant Gryffindor, "Yes, my father is an Animagus. He can become a Polar Bear."

Harry asked, "Then why didn't he become one in the Department of Mysteries?"

Draco responded, "I think he was too absorbed with what was happening and he forgot to transform. Even if he had done that, he would've been captured in the Ministry and his secret revealed."

Harry took out a Chocolate frog from his school bag, after catching it in midair and munching the head, he continued, "Has he instructed you on how to become an Animagus?"

"No, Harry. The thing with my father is that he gives you the least amount of information possible and expects you to connect the dots by yourself. Says it is good for your intelligence."

Harry groaned and replied, "Reminds me of someone I used to know."

Draco was about to tell Harry about his meeting with Lucius, and he mentally scowled as he imagined his reaction. Harry would react benevolently to the Marriage Law news, just as he reacted good-naturedly to everything else.

Living under Riddle Jr.'s mad and cruel antics could make anyone a little – or a lot – paranoid. Draco decided to keep this news under wraps for the time being. Maybe some time later they would discuss at length the repercussions of that law. For the moment he would only trust his father and allies with his innermost thoughts concerning it.

Finally they left the Room of Requirement. Unfortunately neither of them had their special Maps so they were unable to evade the rapidly approaching blonde until Draco felt himself embraced by a soft body, smelling of jasmine.

Lavender Brown smiled at Draco and said, "Here you are, my Dragon! I was hoping we could discuss the details of our wedding. I have already chosen Parvati as my maid of honor, and Dean Thomas as your best man. We could have the wedding at my home in Solsbury Hill, or we could have it at your Manor, of course."

Lavender smiled flirtatiously at Draco and continued, "The augurs agree with me that the best possible date is January 17th. Of course I will make a list of people to invite and…"

Draco looked beseechingly at Harry but the brunet had a contemplative look, as was his wont, and promised to offer little aid.

The Slytherin directed his searching gaze to a point in the corridor beyond Lavender, grimaced and shouted, "Peeves has a cauldron and is coming here! Better run!"

Lavender hurriedly made her way to the left, Harry and Draco to the right.

After running several yards, Harry turned his head and discovered that there was no Peeves following them. Draco just smirked at Harry's raised eyebrow and explained, "Good way to get rid of that Gryffindor, right? Just blame Peeves."

Unfortunately Nearly-Headless Nick heard that and relayed the conversation to Peeves. Later the enraged Poltergeist would spend the rest of the day composing a little ditty he'd sing honoring the traitorous students, "Lav-Lav and Drakie, sitting on a tree and getting married!"

On their way down to the Great Hall, Harry and Draco met their Potions professor, Horace Slughorn. The portly Head of Slytherin engaged them in conversation and invited Harry to the reconstituted Slug Club. Surprisingly, he also invited Draco.

The blond politely declined the invitation, citing his heavy school work. The Slytherin seemingly inadvertently mentioned the Arithmancy and Potions homework he still had to do.

After a disappointed Slughorn disappeared down the corridor, Harry commented, "Why did you decline, Draco? I would've thought you'd like to go to these meetings. They are very elitist, you know."

Draco replied, "During Sixth Year, Slughorn didn't care about me. He didn't ask me to join his so-called Club because the Malfoy name had been dragged to the mud due to my father's imprisonment in Azkaban. But now, after the Wizengamot declared us free, our name may be cleared in time."

"Predictably, Slughorn has decided to invite me now and maybe use my connections. I won't accept that!"

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At 7:00 o'clock, Hermione was in the Library all alone, finishing her pesky Arithmancy homework, when Ginny entered and sat next to her. The redhead cast notice-me-not charms and told Hermione about the discussion she overheard between Lavender and Parvati.

Ginny explained, "It was very weird, Hermione. Lavender offered Parvati the Malfoy Manor as her residence! She spoke as if she would have complete control over it. She also mentioned that she, Seamus, Padma and Retta would be rich."

A drawling voice answered sarcastically, "It's somewhat easy to explain, Weaselette. Fancy meeting you here with Hermione. I think it is time we had a little talk."

Draco Malfoy sat down on the chair next to Hermione. The brunette wondered how Malfoy had overcome the charms Ginny cast, when she noticed among the parchments Draco put on the table a very distinctive one, the Serpent's Map.

So that was how he found them, how he overcame the charm, and how he knew they would not be overheard.

Draco said, "I think it might be time for us to join forces."


	3. Chapter 3

**AN**: _"Later a geas took the aspect of a taboo or prohibition. A geas can also be compared to a curse or, paradoxically, a gift. If someone placed under a geas breaks it, the infractor will suffer dishonor and even death."_ From wikipedia

Draco sat down across from Hermione and Ginny. He took out two sets of papers from his stack. He put them side by side, turned them around and pushed them towards Hermione. He motioned to the parchments to the right and said, "This is a copy of the entire Marriage Law, as it was presented and approved by the Wizengamot."

Then he pointed at the papers on the left and said imperiously, "You might be interested to read and compare these papers. They are part of a new Bill that will be introduced in the House of Commons. It is the same as the Marriage Law,_ verbatim_."

Ginny gasped, and Hermione just sat there, jaw agape, until she replied, "I don't believe it, Draco! How can there be a Bill in the Commons about Purebloods, Half-bloods and Muggleborns? Who would betray the Statute of Secrecy so blatantly?"

Draco replied with icy calm, "It is very easy, Hermione. You see, cunning is not restricted to Slytherins. The wording of the Law was so ingeniously wrought that to the uninitiated eye, it could very well deal with the breeding of rare animals in order to keep them in stock. You know, the handling of pureblood horses, prized mares and studs."

"This is what we are to the Ministry! Animals to be husbanded and bred as they see fit!"

Draco took out a copy of an ancient page in which a very curlicued red P immediately caught the eye. He pushed this paper towards Hermione and said, "Study this carefully with your keen eye for detail, Granger, and tell me what you see!"

Hermione observed minutely the page and answered, "It is in Latin, obviously. It deals with oaths of fealty. The letter P and the curious arrow pointing upward intrigue me. Wait a second!"

The brunette stood up and went to an aisle in the middle of the Library. After browsing for some minutes, she came back with a heavy tome titled, "_Runes: The Elder Futhark by Herum Treiber."_ She studied the table of contents and opened the book near the end.

After Draco consulted a Muggle law book Lucius had sent him, he was impatiently tapping his fingers against his wand, until Ginny slapped his arm. Draco glared half-heartedly at Ginny and they both waited for Hermione.

She cried out excitedly, "It's the rune Tiwaz! It represents honor, justice, leadership and authority. It is used to magically seal a bond between a vassal and a liege lord. Where is this page from, Draco?"

"According to father's covering letter, this is a facsimile of Magna Carta, signed by the Barons in the meadow at Runnymede on June 19th 1215."

"This concurs with Malfoy oral tradition. According to that, among the rebellious Barons there were numerous Wizards. When the denouement was clear, they decided to add their little twist. It seems they managed to insert these runes into the documents they signed and oaths they swore. Their intent was to force the other Barons and the King into submission."

"In effect, they intended to cast a _geas_, a huge Obedience Vow involving the whole of England."

Hermione countered, "It couldn't have worked. There are other protection runes they should've employed."

Draco replied, "Exactly, fortunately they were not as adroit as they thought, they behaved rather like ancestors of Crabbe and Goyle. Needless to say, the expected effect did not materialize."

"However, this brought about changes that would decide how the Wizarding World would interact with the Muggle one. There's a curious balance of power among the different factions due to that interference so long ago."

Hermione continued, her voice shaking a little, "What this means to us right now is that if the same law is approved by the Wizengamot and the Commons, it would become a Metamagical Law. It would be binding both within the Wizarding World and outside it."

Ginny asked worriedly, "What do you mean, Mione?"

"Let's say that I wanted to disobey this Law. I would of course withdraw my money from Gringott's and flee to the Continent. As long as I didn't use any magic that could be traced and I kept away from Wizards I would be all right."

Ginny said, "Except for the fact that if the Muggles approved that law, it would become binding in their territory, the Muggle world. There would be no place you could escape to without being wanted by the authorities, and eventually imprisoned, magically bound and obliviated."

Draco continued, "Worse, the law having been approved by both Realms, the _geas_ would apply to you and would force you to comply or suffer a grievous fate and die."

"You see then what relentless forces we face."

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Hermione was terribly pale. She nervously wrung her hands and asked timidly, "Can't you go to them and tell them that you are gay? Then they won't force you to marry Lavender and perhaps you can choose who to wed."

Draco stood up forcefully and started pacing to and fro. He moved his hands wildly as he laughed bitterly. He replied, "You have lived in this place for many years and still you don't get it, do you? You can't understand the depths of hypocrisy of the Wizarding World."

"Homosexuality is casually accepted here, but not condoned; in the same way that inter-species breeding is allowed, but the people resulting from those unions are looked down upon. Believe me, this is an ingrained belief that I've struggled to get rid of."

"This is the same Wizarding World that slavishly follows Harry as the Savior, until someone publishes a libelous story and the tide turns. Then people believe that Harry is insane, or evil, or whatever strikes their fancy."

"This is the environment that blithely condemns a quarter of the students because they belong to Slytherin, no matter that they are only 11 years old, they are looked down upon because they are in the house of the snake. Whatever the other houses do to us is allowed, because we are Slytherins and therefore deserve to suffer."

"In the Wizarding World, you are guilty until somehow you escape and prove your innocence, or die trying. The Wizengamot sentenced Sirius Black to Azkaban without a proper trial, based on flimsy evidence. The Minister can easily order someone to be Kissed and no one raises an eyebrow, like Fudge did with Barty Crouch Jr."

"We would stand a much better chance in the Muggle world. Sure, there are some places which do not allow same-sex unions, but there exist other countries that are more liberal."

Draco scowled fiercely and continued, nervously grabbing parchments at random and seemingly perusing them while he spoke, "Voldemort was truly daunting, an evil madman. Still, during the time he made his headquarters in Malfoy Manor, I had a unique advantage. I knew the Manor inside and out, every secret room, every hidden path."

"I used this to covertly enter the madman's rooms. It was there that I discovered strange books about Wizard and Muggle history."

"Hermione, did you know that the Ministry of Magic was established just a little time after the office of the Muggle Prime Minister came to exist?"

Hermione shook her head, taken aback, and Draco continued. "The first attempts at giving magical species some freedom came after the Muggle Enlightenment. The new philosophy that spoke about the voice of reason somehow managed to infect a little the dimwitted wizards."

"You see, one of the putative reasons Voldemort attacked the Muggleborns and Muggles so intensely would be because he was afraid they would contaminate Wizarding culture. In reality he was vastly more afraid of connotations that spoke about power and how to wield and conserve it."

"Voldemort knew that he could never eradicate the Muggles. There are billions of them versus scant millions of ours. What he desperately wanted was to create a breach between the Wizarding and Muggle worlds so deep, that it would be impossible to cross."

"He wanted the Wizarding world isolated because the Muggle world is where the impetus for reform and ethics generally originates."

"I'm sure that in the Muggle world Sirius Black would have had more chances to be proven innocent. In the Muggle world the constant harassment of Slytherins would eventually be noticed and dealt with, there the right of marriage between people of the same sex would exist, at least in some places."

Hermione made to speak but Draco held up his hand, indicating that he had more to say. "Hermione, I'm sure that you were going to tell us that there is unfairness everywhere, and I agree. Despite the best intentions, sometimes errors are made and people suffer."

"Still, Sirius Black would have had opportunities to appeal his sentence, perhaps employing more Aurors to garner evidence instead of relying on hearsay to shut a man away for life."

"The constant harassment suffered by Slytherins at Hogwarts for decades, like for example being forced to face an enraged werewolf as a 'prank,' or consistently being attacked just for exchanging harsh words; these acts would surely get the attention of competent caretakers and would be investigated. In the Wizarding World, however, it is allowed because it is done to lowly Slytherins."

Ginny said furiously, her cheeks flaming red, "And marriage reserved to straight people is such a staple of tradition that it won't be changed unless the Wizards see the effects firsthand in the Muggle world. You must have noticed how traditional we are. Imagine then a world without the influence of the Muggles and you would have a barbaric situation, worse than the Middle Ages, when the powerful imposed their will ruthlessly."

Ginny continued more calmly, "A situation where people are forced to be little more than animals and mate with whomever the Government considers fit."

Hermione said, "Looking at the whole situation like this, this Ministry handles affairs little better than Voldemort did."

Draco took a look at some parchments, and without changing his expression, continued nonchalantly, "We got off track, time to go back to the Arithmancy equations I was talking about, Granger, where the root number is directly related to the phases of the moon."

Draco pushed the parchments towards Hermione and pointed at them. Hermione, exasperated and wanting to know what the hell Draco was talking about, looked at the papers and almost gasped. Draco was holding the Serpent's Map!

There were the stupid psychotic lion icons representing her and Ginny, next to Draco's insufferable smirking snake. But not 15 feet from them there was another crazy lion icon with the name: _Ronald Weasley_, and the letters _PB._

Hermione chanced to look in the direction where Ron was according to the Map and didn't see anything. She had doubts that maybe the Map was defective and Snape wasn't really that genius in potions, when she realized the truth. Ron was spying on them using the Invisibility Cloak!

Thinking rapidly, Hermione continued the charade, adding, "You're right, Malfoy. The roots respond to the moon, but we only have to worry about the secondary effects. I will take into consideration your proposed solution and will contact you."

Ginny was looking at the blond and the brunette as if they had lost their minds. Hermione managed to catch her eye and she lifted an eyebrow, unconsciously copying the Malfoys.

Hermione grabbed her books and things, stuffed them in her bag, and said to Ginny, "Want to go to the Lake and talk?" Ginny nodded and was forced to swiftly pack her things as hurricane Hermione was leaving the room.

After the Gryffindors left, both the visible and the invisible ones, Draco checked continuously the Map looking for spies under cloaks. He saw that Hannah Abbott was rapidly approaching the Library.

The petite Hufflepuff stormed into the room as she went and sat next to Draco. The Hufflepuff was a bit irritable, maybe because she had dyed her blonde hair into a brown shade. The Slytherin was a bit nervous around the brunette. Her mother had been killed in the same year he had the fateful mission from the madman Voldemort.

She was now a year below them due to having missed two years in her education, and Draco couldn't help but admire her pluck and courage for going expressly to Hogwarts to participate in the Final Battle. It made him ashamed of his part in that Battle, just wanting to survive.

It also fueled his resolve to lead his own life, no matter what other higher powers wanted – or needed.

Hannah and Susan Bones had both suffered grievous losses, yet they continued on and lived the life their departed family members would like them to live. To him they symbolized the main characteristics of Hufflepuff house: loyalty to friends, and a hard work ethic. The house he dismissed earlier in his Hogwarts career was now the place in which he felt most comfortable, not the cold dungeons – although they offered succor in the storm. Not the lofty aeries of Ravenclaw or Gryffindor Tower. Hufflepuff felt like home to him, and it was a place where he could relax, among the company of his friends.

One of the aforementioned friends talked very nastily about her supposed fiancé. Draco offered words of encouragement, but they weren't enough. Luckily though, Justin Finch-Fletchley walked by, saw a disturbed Hannah, sat down and talked with her. He managed to engage Hannah in deep conversation about – of all things – the British Parliament.

Draco's ears pricked up when he heard about the Prime Minister's intent to radically curtail the Lords' powers. Apparently Justin wanted to begin a political career after he graduated Hogwarts and attended Oxford, and his father Jason Finch-Fletchley was a Member of Parliament. Draco casually invited Justin to a meeting he was having with Lucius in Hogsmeade. He carefully suggested that Mr. Finch-Fletchley should join them there.

At any rate, Terry Boot interrupted this discussion when he arrived. The Ravenclaw companionably slapped Draco's shoulder. Terry had been one of the first to accept Draco's change. He supported Draco constantly in a way that neither Crabbe nor Goyle could have done.

Terry wanted to be a scientist, but not any old kind. He wanted to become a Magician Scientist. Draco had accused him once of trying to fulfill the dreams he'd read about in Science Fiction books. Terry had responded nonchalantly – smirking infuriatingly – that Draco liked to peruse those same books.

Draco waited until he had their attention, checking constantly on the Map for magical trespassers, he cast Privacy charms anyway and informed his friends about the gist of his conversations with Hermione and Ginny.

Draco and Harry, occasionally joined by Susan, continued their practice in the Room of Requirement; they had sessions every Monday and Friday. If Harry arrived first the Room appeared in colorful Gryffindor colors, if Draco got there punctually the Room turned out to be silver and green. Susan's early arrival signaled a brilliant yellow and purple atmosphere.

They had run the gamut of Light to Gray spells and Harry begged Draco to teach him the Dark ones.

Draco said, "I'm going to start with a slightly innocuous spell, it's called_ Sectuminutae_ and essentially causes wounds that stop bleeding in a few minutes. Severus expanded this spell and created _Sectumsempra_, where the wounds do not heal unless a special herb or a counterspell is used."

Harry asked, "Can I practice on you?"

Draco fumed, "Are you crazy, Potter? Do you think that after suffering the effects of your dark spells I will let you cast another on me willingly?"

Harry replied calmly, "It's Ok if you don't want to, Draco. I'll just find something else to practice on. I just think you should move away from fears like this that may keep you pinned."

Draco stomped away as he glared at a particularly disturbing red and gold sofa. He was glad that Harry had changed and no longer used him as a human hexed pincushion, on the other hand, the newly calm and collected Harry could get to his nerves faster than the manic Potter of yesteryear.

He was also nervous because he had caught Harry earlier giving him shy admiring glances. Was Potter gay or bisexual? Then what about his girlfriends: the beautiful Cho and the Weaselette?

So Draco was of two – or maybe three or four – minds about this Harry Potter. He wanted to smack him, or even kiss him. It was a far cry from his earlier, simpler school rivalry with the Gryffindor. Those were the halcyon days of donning a Dementor robe and trying to scare Harry! Admittedly, the prank hadn't worked and it was Draco who fell. Anyway, it had been fun.

Meanwhile, the enterprising Harry had cast an old specialty of Draco's, _Serpensortia._ Harry hissed to the giant boa constrictor that appeared to stay put and he cast _Sectuminutiae_ on it.

Harry saw Draco's look of awe as he cast the spell and watched him eagerly follow Harry's wand waving. Unfortunately Harry had to listen to the unlucky boa hiss and curse all damned Warmbloods who harmed lofty Coldbloods like herself.

Ultimately the kind-hearted Harry healed the wounds of the serpent – who turned out to be called Issimiraha23 – with _Episkey_. When Harry asked about the serpent's weird name including a number, the serpent nodded, showed her fangs in what could be considered a threatening gesture or a smile - although maybe for snakes the two are the same - and replied that she was the 23rd egg to be hatched, and proud of that.

Harry decided to allow Issi to live in the Forbidden Forest and went to open the door. Harry cheerfully informed the boa of his decision. Draco's ears pricked up and he stopped him, saying, "What are you doing, Potter?"

Harry replied, "I'm inviting the boa to live in the Forbidden Forest."

Draco sneered and replied cuttingly, "Have you forgotten where we are, Harry? We're in Scotland, near the beginning of Winter. I doubt any boa would find the environment congenial."

Draco grabbed Harry's arm and they went to the serpent's side, where she looked at them as if they might constitute a healthy meal consisting of a weasel, or a ferret.

Draco said imperiously, "Translate for me, Harry! Where do you usually live?"

Issimiraha23 hissed a reply, "_I live in Brazil, near that delightful silver river."_

Harry continued translating the exchange between the human snake and the serpent snake.

"Do you know the name of the river?"

"_Mason, Amazon, Macon, something like that. The Warmbloods just run away when they see me, so I couldn't ask. Not that that would be any help, as hardly any Warmblood can listen to our speech except the present company. Like the one with black tendrils and antennae in his eyes that is speaking now."_

Harry sputtered and hissed, "Antennae! Tendrils! Of all the nerve…"

Draco hid a smile as he continued, "Know the name of any nearby town?"

"_I've heard the name Belem once or twice."_

"I will use magic and send you to the town Belem, near the Amazon, where a boa called Issimiraha23 used to live. Ok with that?"

Issi wrapped herself around the blond's legs. Draco was a little afraid at first; after all, his interactions with giant snakes had been with Voldemort's pet, Nagini. Yet with Nagini, there was always this aura of death and despair, which was notably absent from Issi. The seemingly snobby snake projected an aura of coiled power, resolve, and need to protect her young.

Eventually Draco patted Issi. The snake hissed, "_This Warmblood is not as hot as you, dark-tendriled one!_"

Harry lost his new composure and coughed. He also blushed. When he was back in control, he hissed, "_What do you mean?"_

"_His skin is colder than yours. His white tendrils appear more pleasing to me, his eyes are as silver as that of my home river."_

After Harry dutifully translated this, the snake seemed to inwardly laugh at his discomfiture.

Draco swished and flicked his hawthorne wand and intoned, "_Zurückkehren_!"

The serpent disappeared, after flicking her tongue at Harry.

Harry asked, "What was the language of that spell?"

"It's German. The spell is used to return things to a specific location. You have to know the name of the object to return and the approximate location where it came from."

"I thought all spells were in Latin."

"Most of them are. However, there are several in other languages. There are no limits to spell creation as regards language. Only, you have to create a spell with intent, with a specific pathway delimited by the first caster."


	4. Chapter 4

**September 26th 1998**

**The Hog's Head, Hogsmeade**

Draco made it early to the meeting with his father and the Finch-Fletchleys. Aberforth kindly offered butterbeer to pass the time. There were hardly any customers at that moment.

The old innkeeper sat down at the Slytherin's table, and they had time to exchange some stories, mainly unflattering to a certain Albus. Having discovered this common point of interest, Aberforth offered some of his experiences growing up, the inner turmoil of the Dumbledore family and the hard choices they had made.

At some point, Draco asked him if he considered Albus had a part in all the problems. A solemn Aberforth replied, "At the time, I thought so. Now I don't think he caused any of that. He wasn't that much of a help, anyway. He was too immersed in his plans to effectively help my sister or my mother. He has incurred sins of omission, not of commission."

At this point they were interrupted by the Finch-Fletchleys. Justin just came over, smacked his arm and gave him a handshake. The Hufflepuff turned to his father and introduced Draco to him. Jason Finch-Fletchley shook firmly his hand. He was like a mature version of Justin, the same curly hair, although interspersed with grey, the same brown eyes and the same intent, honest expression. The man wore an impeccable dark blue Armani suit.

They ordered a round of butterbeer and passed the time talking about school. A few minutes later the door opened and Lucius Malfoy strode in.

Draco was inwardly sweating. When he'd written to his father and arranged this rendezvous, he had left out an important bit of information, namely the fact that his friend's father was a _Muggle. _He believed Lucius would accept Mr Finch-Fletchley, but Lucius was known to behave like a primmadonna from time to time, so all bets were off.

The elder Malfoy saw at a glance that the man was a Muggle. He toyed for a second with the idea of storming out of there, but the beseeching look in Draco's eyes stayed his hand. The hard facts were that they needed all the help they could get, even Muggle help, which may prove to be superior in the end.

Lucius sauntered to the table and introduced himself with utmost courtesy. Justin was a little flabbergasted. This was the infamous Lucius Malfoy, who everyone vilified?

Jason just saw another seemingly privileged man who behaved with courtesy. Their clipped exchanges and comments marked them as doers, and as they flew into the rhythm of the conversation, they grew to appreciate the other's labyrinthine mind.

Draco and Justin started by telling them all they knew about the Marriage Law. Draco continued with his conversation with Hermione and Ginny, what they had deduced about Magna Carta and the _geas_.

When Draco got to the part where Lavender was gloating about being his future wife, Lucius clenched his fingers around his glass, fighting to retain composure and not retaliate against the dumb Gryffindor and the Government.

Justin concluded saying, "So that's it in a nutshell, dad. We are forced to marry the person they select for us. We have no say in the matter and if we do not comply, we will be stripped of our magic and obliviated. In effect, it would be another, less merciful kind of death."

"I was fortunate because I really like the person they chose for me, but many others, including Draco, are bound to these twisted chains cooked up by Ministry types. If what Hermione and Draco suggest is true, which I do not doubt, then there is truly no way to fight against that. Even if one moved and lived far away, if the_ geas_ was disobeyed, the person would be cursed and they would die."

"We need you, dad. You've explained our system to me and made me want to become a part of that. Even with all the magical allure, I know I wouldn't be fulfilled if I just ran away from our ideals of freedom and liberty. I intend to work for those, whether in our world, dad, or in theirs."

Then Lucius took out his briefcase, enlarged it and took out many sheaves of paper. He and Jason got to brainstorm, while Draco and Justin offered comments and suggestions from time to time.

The hours passed, and just before Aberforth would come and inform them that he had to close for the day, they came to some conclusions.

Jason started, "They want to force you using the same law in both realms. They are relentless. What we have to do is to attack them where they least expect."

Lucius continued, "First things first. Repeal the law once it is enacted. We could have used the House of Lords for that."

Jason answered, "Unfortunately, the Government has seen fit to dismantle many of the Lords' prerogatives, and so this option is not open to us."

Justin commented, "We could use Devolution in Scotland and suggest that this matter be left to the Scots to decide."

His father answered, "Good idea, except Devolution deals mainly with matters pertaining to taxes, and you've told me that most of your classmates don't come from Scotland."

Lucius said, "Our only succor must be the House of Commons. There the Law must be stopped. The vote is coming up soon. There are several people whose assistance I can count on. Together with those you can influence and bring to our side, we may yet succeed. The Minister of Magic is seemingly resting on his laurels and would not condescend to rely on the help of any Muggles. We can use that to our advantage."

Jason stood up and prepared to leave, saying "I must bid you farewell. I left my car 10 miles from here; Justin helped me summoning some ancient carriage that moves by itself! Wonderful thing, magic! If I have more ideas how can I contact you?"

Lucius took out something from his briefcase and handed it to Jason, replying, "I'll send an owl that you can keep, Jason. Just write your ideas using this ink and quill. It will be unreadable for anyone but us, and the owl knows how to find a wizard. Just utter their name."

HDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDH

On Sunday, in the Room of Requirement, Draco met with the gang, the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaw, Hermione and Ginny. When Hermione suggested debriefing Harry, Draco argued against that. He said that placing more burdens on Harry's shoulders would be wrong. Draco didn't mention his hunch that something was slightly askew.

Draco and Justin related what had transpired at the Hog's Head. In turn, Ginny told about the strange conversation she'd overheard with Lavender and Parvati. Everyone was dumbfounded, except Draco, who just shrugged.

He commented dryly, "Why do you think the Ministry is so committed to the Marriage Law? Why do they want to enforce what amounts to slavery?"

"You have to ask yourselves the question: who is going to benefit from this move?"

"As I told Hermione some time ago, the Malfoy money was saved from the Government's clutches due to a piece of ancient magic. A charm binding the estate to the heir by blood. If the Ministry had unlawfully seized my estate, the spell would have caused the money to disappear."

"Such a spell acts in many Pureblood families. The Government knows better than to interfere taking away our control. That is, they know they can't _act directly_."

"Imagine things two years from now. Many former pureblood families have babies, as per the avowed expectations of the Marriage Law. I'd expect a sudden rash of divorces among said families, with custody resting with the babies' mothers, in my case and Blaise's, or in their fathers', in the case of Pansy and Millicent Bulstrode. Of course the courts would grant the innocent aggrieved parties of non-Slytherins what they wanted."

"And the Government would have babies and pliant parents to deal with. Thus it would be easy for the estates to be dismantled lawfully."

"In the end, this is what it has always been about: money and power, and how to use them."

HDHDHDHDHDHDHDDHDHDHDDHDHDH

On September 28th, as Harry was walking toward the Room of Requirement, he met a disgruntled Susan. She irritably fussed with her plaited blond hair as she proceeded to loudly denounce that git Etienne Zabini. Apparently the currently unknown git had sent her a gift to initiate their courtship, as if!

While they waited for their blond sparring partner, Harry began a discussion about how strange it was for him to see Draco mingling with Hufflepuffs, and being accepted.

Susan said, "You might think you know about us Puffs, Harry, but you don't. No one really does. It is true that we are fiercely loyal, not only to persons, but to ideas. My family's cherished motto was 'Reconciliation first.' They held to the belief that after the worst is over, the time comes to leave war behind and start fresh."

"I faced the quandary of forgiving Draco or remaining aloof and cold. I saw Draco's joyful face and tears of happiness at being reunited with his parents during the final battle, and I knew then that if I had been faced with his dilemma, I would have done exactly what he did. Family is powerful, Harry, in the sense that it demands the utmost commitment."

"On the first day back to school, I was walking down a corridor across from the Charms classroom when I found a strange scene: Draco was facing down 4 opponents, among them your esteemed friends Seamus Finnigan and Ron Weasley. They were preparing to cast spells. I knew I had a choice then, to just walk away and turn my back on everything that House Hufflepuff represents: respect to ethics, compassion, steadiness; or I could stay and fight on the side of the downtrodden, striving for balance, remaining faithful to my Hogwarts classmate. It was one of the easiest choices I've made."

"So I decided to work for the future. We all make mistakes. During our school career, Draco's mistakes have been paid for in blood, suffering and humiliation, while yours and the Golden Trio's have been considered mere pranks."

"Draco changed as a result of the war. It removed some cobwebs from his mind. He's still as opinionated and passionate as ever, but is more prone to reason. He's got a temper, though, as several in the school would tell you, having been at the receiving end of some of his pranks."

"I will go so far as to admit that in some of them he was helped by Hufflepuff House, with the help of a learned Ravenclaw."

During Susan's exposition, she turned to face Harry time and again and she could feel his piercing gaze, as if trying to find out about her deepest mysteries.

Eventually Draco arrived, murmuring curses at an owl named Osiris that couldn't wait for an answer.

They fell to performing their routine exercises. At Draco's urging, they started using the sword. Learning to move it with grace and precision was very exacting work, and often they finished very tired. They still had time to learn Defense against some Dark spells, at which Harry was proving to be unbeatable.

Harry didn't conjure any more snakes to use as duds. He just ordered the Room to produce dummies. Harry approached Draco and blushed. He started to say, "D-do y-you want to…"

Draco turned and looked at Harry's flushed face and answered gently, "What do you want to say, Harry?"

Harry answered, "Will you go with me to Hogsmeade next weekend?"

Draco winced inwardly, that Sunday he had to meet his father again at the Hog's Head. He replied, "I'm sorry, Harry, but I have stuff to do on Sunday."

Harry's face fell. Seeing this, Draco continued rapidly, "But we could go on Saturday if it's ok with you?"

Harry beamed and said, "Yeah!"

After they finished, Susan walked rapidly to the door. Draco called out to her, "Aren't you coming with us, Susan?"

Susan murmured something under her breath. Draco countered with, "Come on, Susan! What gives? You wouldn't want Hannah and Justin to get worried, would you?"

Susan sighed to herself. Draco might be softer now; it didn't mean he was any less of a Slytherin. Unfortunately if the snoops Hannah and Justin found out about this, they would pester her for days. She glared at Draco and replied almost venomously, "Fine! I'm going out with Robert Lehmke. He's related to Liz, the ombudswoman. He is a Slytherin in sixth year. Of course, with the blasted Marriage Law, it makes no difference what I want anymore, does it?"

Surprising Harry, Draco walked up to Susan and gave her a hug. He said, "I'll distract the Snoopy Duo. Have fun." Harry couldn't help but feel a little envious of the blonds.

On the last day of September, Draco received a missive from his father. Lucius and Jason wanted to meet today with the gang. Draco was instructed to use the enclosed portkey at 5:00 pm to get to _Fuenteovejuna_, the estate of the Finch-Fletchleys.

At lunch, Draco waved Lavender over and gave her several parchments, saying "I've been researching our wedding, Lav, and I need your signature in all these papers. Just sign on the blotted line." Lavender soon left, not noticing the angry stares of the Slytherins, or the amused ones of the Hufflepuffs.

Draco soon told Terry, Hermione and Ginny about the meeting. Justin told the Hufflepuff part of the RAMS, acronym generated by Granger signifying _Resistance Against Marriage Submission._

At 4:54, they met in front of the Room of Requirement and Hannah opened the door, letting them in. Terry and Draco immediately started complaining about the awful yellow-purple color combination. Justin soon joined their chorus, to the consternation of Hannah and Susan.

Draco started to disrobe and take out his belt, to the amazement (and secret delight) of some of them. Eventually he raised the belt and said, "This is the portkey. Perhaps a secret joke of Lucius'? Go figure!"

They all grabbed the stretched belt and were duly whisked away by the portkey.

They reappeared in the ancient house of Jason Finch-Fletchley.

Soon the door opened and the butler announced himself. Mr. Jones told them to go to the dining room when they were ready and left them some pastries and refreshments on a side table.

After they had collected themselves, they went to the designated room. Draco had to admit that the house was superbly decorated. There was grandeur in the marble floors, the French windows, the rich upholstery, the understated elegance of it all.

When they entered the room, they beheld a table almost covered by seemingly legal documents. Lucius and Jason were in a very spirited discussion about the United Nations Chart.

After Lucius and Jason had greeted their sons, and introductions were offered, the students took their seats.

Draco handed over to Lucius a paper which Lavender had signed. Lucius inspected it and put it aside.

The blond started, "I take it you have all been informed about the current situation with the Law." Everybody nodded.

Lucius continued, "The Bill will be presented to Parliament on October 5th. Jason and I are doing our utmost to ensure that it does not succeed, that the measure does not find enough votes to become law of the realm."

Hermione asked, "What measures are you taking to ensure this, Mr. Malfoy? Political or magical?"

Lucius replied calmly, "I assure you, Miss Granger, that if I were to employ _Imperio_ on a Member of Parliament I would not succeed. In fact, I would act against the delicate _geas_ that presides over our actions and probably would die."

"We will use the traditional weapons of politics, persuasion and applying political weight."

Jason continued, "If we succeed, and the Measure is defeated in the Commons, you lot still have the problem that you have to get married to comply with that crazy Law of yours."

The curly-haired man continued, "This is where Lucius and I have concocted a delightful plan. The Wizards tried to use Parliament and its brilliant history to do their dirty work for them. Let them live with the results when the Muggle world responds!" He smirked gleefully, not unlike Lucius.

Justin, watching his father's visage, realized that if Jason had been a wizard, he would have surely been sorted into Slytherin.

Terry also smiled triumphantly and added, "I think I know where this is going. In the Wizarding World we have no recourse outside the Wizengamot and the Ministry, in the Muggle world, there are many possibilities to fight against an unpopular measure, while staying within the law."

Hermione said, "So Draco is going to demand something from the Muggles?"

Jason replied excitedly, "On the contrary, my dear, Draco has no rights in the Muggle world. There is no record of his birth, no social security number, no school history, nothing. He can't suddenly come up and demand a trial if he doesn't exist in their eyes. I suppose this is another way the Wizarding World excludes you from current history and movements, by making you invisible."

Jason drawled lazily, sounding uncannily like a younger Lucius, "Let me read you a part of the proposed Muggle Law:

_Be it considered as proved, that the State needs to safeguard the purity of the stock by adequately husbanding like with unlike, to prevent unwanted complications. An individual with mixed stock will be put together with a genealogically pure individual; a being of common stock will be joined with the genealogical pure entity."_

The Hogwarts students looked horrified. Hermione realized now how secure and smug the proponents of the Law must feel, hoodwinking their supposed allies with such artful drivel. Ginny's face was red, and she was glaring at Justin, as if his making Head Boy was to blame for the whole fiasco.

Jason continued, "No, Draco will not demand anything. However, we will open proceedings in London, before the Director of Public Prosecutions; we'll also lodge a complaint in Brussels, before the European Union; and one in New York, before the United Nations. They all will adduce that several people's human rights are being violated by forcing their hand in a manner that is reminiscent of slave trading. We will do this independently of whether the law passes in the Commons or not. If it passes, we continue our efforts, if it fails; this will greatly undermine the Wizarding Marriage Law."

Lucius concluded, "The beauty of this is that the persons complaining do exist in their world: they are some of the halfbloods and Muggleborns in the pairs. People like Terry Boot, Hannah Abbot, Susan Bones and our own delightful Lavender Brown, who signed this affidavit so the case in her name can proceed." Lucius smirked gloatingly.

Hermione asked, "What do you think they will do?"

Jason replied, "At worst, they will be put under enormous political pressure. The British Government will be under pressure from the European Union and UN, and the Ministry from the Muggle Government. The wizards in charge will realize they are not lords over all of creation, like hundreds of years ago. Now they have to play to a wider audience, and there is a source of succor that does not emanate from them."

"At best, the agencies involved will fight tooth and nail against the Marriage Law, knowing they face grave legal repercussions if they do not do their jobs."

Hermione said, "But what about the Statute of Secrecy? We'll be putting ourselves in danger if those agencies investigate us!"

Jason replied, "The sessions will be attended by only a few persons. Approximately 14 if all goes well. That is well below the number of eyewitness that have to be imperfectly obliviated after a magical prank has been unleashed in the Muggle world."

Ginny asked seemingly nonchalantly, "How many people within the Ministry know of its intentions to seize the estates in the next years?"

Hermione said, "We don't know how many, Ginny. It might be that your father and Percy know nothing about this."

Hannah commented, "I don't think Mr. Weasley would support any part of this."

Ginny replied, "I don't know. After Fred's death he busied himself with work. He's become a bit obsessed about it. I have no doubt that Percy would do the right thing – for Percy."

Hannah, Susan, and Terry dutifully signed their affidavits. Justin wanted to sign his, too. His father replied, "I thought you were ok with your marriage."

Justin said, "I look forward to living with my future wife, but I do mind terribly the possibility of not having any options, of being trapped like my friends are. I will do what I can – for them."

The younger Finch-Fletchley was presented then with some papers, and he duly signed after checking them.

They were also surprised when Hermione insisted that she wanted to be included among the persons seeking redress. She responded to their baffled looks saying, "I know I love Ron, but I wanted to wait, to have a long courtship and a relaxed wedding. This silly law forces me to give up all these cherished dreams. I can only imagine how demeaning it must be for many persons to be put together based on blood distinctions, which we thought we had abolished along with Voldemort's regime." Hermione cracked a smile and continued, "As a founding member of RAMS: _Resistance Against Marriage Submission_, it behooves me to set an useful example."

As they were preparing to grab the belt and being portkeyed outside Hogwarts, Draco mulled something in his mind. The measures discussed tonight were all right for him, but still the elusive gay marriage remained as far away as ever. He needed to set plans into motion so that it became a reality some time in the future.

tbc


	5. Chapter 5

**October 3****rd****, 1998**

**Hogwarts**

Draco had to wait for Harry ten minutes before he showed up for their Hogsmeade outing. The Hufflepuffs dared smirk openly at him, so he sat with the Slytherins. The Snoopy Duo, also known as Hannah and Justin, convinced him to reveal this secret date or else, after they were almost hexed by Draco. Only their hard-won DA skills let them walk away without transfigured elephant ears.

Draco looked dashing in black trousers and a silver button down shirt. He wore his hair free and it sometimes fell into his eyes. As he waited for the Gryffindor, who was late as usual, he was approached by Zacharias Smith and Ron Weasley. They taunted him about how no one wanted to be near him, now that his Death Eater ways were common knowledge. According to them, no sane witch would dare marry him, only the hapless Lavender Brown who had been chosen for this sacrificial role.

Draco smirked knowingly at Weasley, and quickly grabbed his hand and shouted '_Expelliarmus!_' as Weasley prepared to cast a spell. Ron's wand hit the floor.

Meanwhile, Zacharias had been the recipient of a well known curse, for Draco at least. He was transfigured into a blond weasel. The rodent-like figure glared alternately at Weasley, Draco, and a witch with a shock of red hair. Ginny Weasley said mockingly, "Now you have the shape I knew you would always have, Smith!"

Alerted by the house-elves about the commotion, the Headmistress arrived and transfigured the weasel back. She then heard the stories and proceeded to substract a whooping 50 points from Slytherin, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. She also gave them detention duties for one month.

During the course of McGonagall's investigation, Liz Lehmke had quietly arrived. The ombudswoman made sure to keep her silence as the facts were collated.

Hearing the draconian punishment, Draco turned soulful eyes on Liz, hoping that she would overrule McGonagall in this case. He asked, "What do you think, Ms. Lehmke?"

Liz replied warily, "I think the punishment was correctly meted out. As a matter of fact, I think it was a bit too soft."

"Miss Weasley, transfiguring another human being into an animal is a degrading and painful thing to do. If we have great gifts, we must also use them judiciously. As teachers and care providers, we can do nothing but object most vociferously to this mode of thinking. Therefore I'd like you to take counseling sessions until the councilor deems you fit. Consider what could happen if you transfigured someone and left them all alone, let's say, in the baggage compartment of a train? What would happen if no one looked for them and they remained in that state forever?"

"Mr Weasley and Mr. Smith, your opinions about Mr. Malfoy's alleged involvement with Death Eaters are just that, your personal views. They don't tell us much about Mr. Malfoy's current outlook on life. That you express them so hatefully paints a bleak picture of the inner workings of your minds; therefore you will also have counseling sessions where you will learn to live with the past."

"Mr. Malfoy, I understand the need to defend yourself, but sometimes it is better to avoid personal confrontations. Sometimes the better part of valor is discretion. Surely you can understand that we care providers must stop violent confrontations before they escalate farther and transmute into something else."

Harry was sporting a dashing black coat, white linen trousers and a beige shirt, his hair was as untamed as always. As they were walking to Hogsmeade, Draco said he wanted to visit Puddifoot's.

Frankly, after having used the _Imperio_ on Rosmerta, the blond felt there was no need to further aggravate her by his presence. Going to the Hog's Head was out of the question, because the voluble Aberforth might decide to strike a conversation with Harry and spill the beans on their secret rendezvous.

So that left Puddifoot's. Draco tried to sell the idea to Harry mentioning that this way they would not have to face angry housemates, like Ron.

Harry shuddered as Draco mentioned going to Madam Puddifoot's. His mind reeled when he recalled the time he had been there with Cho crying non-stop, the pink confetti, and that _wet_ kiss. Would a kiss with Draco be wet or not?

Though the idea of facing an irate Ron convinced him to go to the other establishment.

When Draco mentioned the fight, the blond had to listen ten minutes to a small lecture on the benefits of peaceful cohabitation. As always when Harry was in this mood, Draco felt some unease, and idly thought of those days in the Manor, burrowing to go to Voldemort's and read his stash about history.

They made small purchases in Honeydukes. Standing near the windows at the back, Draco motioned to the left towards the Shrieking Shack and said, "I remember seeing your head floating in midair. You fooled me for some time into thinking you had splinched yourself, and only your head remained. I should have been so lucky!" Draco smirked as Harry smacked him in the arm playfully.

When Harry answered, though, he said somberly, "The last time I was in the Shrieking Shack was when Severus Snape died."

This sentence made Draco cringe, remembering the things and people he had lost. Trying to cheer themselves up, the boys went to Gladrags.

Draco browsed the shop, visibly unenthusiastic, until he happened to notice some vests made of fine velour. He prevailed upon Harry to buy one with a creamy color, and he chose another dark blue.

Standing side by side in front of the mirror, Draco couldn't help but notice what a striking pair they made. Their looks complimented each other. He wistfully remembered another clothing store and another time in which an eleven year-old Draco met his counterpart Harry. What would have happened if they had struck a friendship then?

Sighing, he and Harry took the side street to the left and made it to Puddifoot's. Harry need not have worried so much about having a Cho-like date. Draco was boisterous and demanding, sometimes funny and acerbic, but never dull or teary eyed.

After they ordered a concoction Harry recommended called Hot Fudge Sundae, they fell into a companionable silence, broken a while later by complaining about the golden cherub décor and the comparatively minor woes and misadventures of being back in school, after having spent the last year constantly fighting for their lives.

They exchanged pointed commentary, and if sometimes they called each other 'Malfoy' or 'Potter' it was without any harshness. Both knew the yokes being placed on them since their births, both remembered the past years of a Golden Innocence that was neither golden nor innocent.

After two hours, they left Puddifoot's. Draco walked to the corner and then crossed High Street to enter Dervish and Banges. The owner, Mr. Joseph Dervish, recognized him as a Malfoy. He said obsequiously, "Good evening, Mr. Malfoy, what can I do for you?"

"I'm looking for a good Sneakoscope, can you recommend one?"

The balding owner went to the back of the shop and returned with a battered Sneakoscope, which started sounding immediately. The owner blushed, looked mortified and went again to the back. He returned with a newer Sneakoscope, which also started sounding the alarm immediately.

Harry privately thought that it was no wonder the Sneakoscopes went off, considering they were in the company of Draco Malfoy, who was very sneaky. He then chastised himself for his uncharitable thoughts and tried to look at things from the point of view of the greater good.

After the third device had gone off, Draco turned to go to the door and leave. Mr. Dervish stated politely, "I'm sorry the devices didn't work. They're supposed to be attuned to any level of conspiracy. Anyway, it came to my attention that you are a deft wielder of magical machinery, Mr. Malfoy, is that true?"

Draco blushed and nodded, doubtlessly remembering his trying days when he repaired the Vanishing Cabinets.

Mr. Dervish continued, "Then I would like to offer you employment, a partnership if you will. In a few years I will retire and I have no one to continue the work offered by my shop. Hardly anyone cares about magical machines these days; they are either fixated by the Muggle ones or expect the magical machines to run themselves forever."

"I've been on the lookout for someone like you, eager, handy and possessing curiosity. You don't have to answer right now, but I would like to learn your decision before you leave Hogwarts for good."

A visibly moved Draco went to Mr. Dervish and shook his hand energetically.

They made their silent way to the other end of High Street. Harry was contemplating the fact that this unexpected praise must occur rarely in the life of the Malfoy heir. People expected him to act in a certain way, and if they ever congratulated him, it was due more to the position than to the action. Something very similar happened with a certain Boy Who Lived.

They talked about their prospective wives under the Marriage Law. Harry informed Draco that he was not too keen on marrying Ginny, except it was what the people expected. He was inclined to wait for someone of the male persuasion, if the damned Law hadn't existed.

They passed Hogsmeade Station without a glance and kept walking on the road to Hogwarts, occasionally taking detours.

After some time, Draco answered that he was of the same mind. Harry looked at him with bright eyes, sparkling with joy. He was biting his lips and blushing.

Harry had a little trouble breathing, he felt a bit dizzy. Draco approached him and lightly kissed his stubble. Harry moaned and then Draco attacked his lips.

Harry had no qualms opening his lips, and they were assaulted by Draco's candid tongue. There was no time for Harry to think about the kiss as wet or dry. The kiss just _was_, it demanded his complete attention. It was different than Ginny's kisses. Hers were sweet and undemanding. Draco's kiss was harsh and unrelenting, but ultimately tender and loving.

Harry felt a lurch in his stomach and knew that he needed more. He guided them, more or less, to a birch and pinned Draco against the tree. They renewed their mutually assured attack and after some minutes, it was Harry's turn to be pinned down.

HDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDH

When they returned, Draco had to go visit Justin. A disgruntled Harry watched him with a scowl, until Draco mentioned that it was Head business and the Head Girl would be there also.

When he was walking towards the Hufflepuff common room in his way to meet Justin and Susan, he encountered Hermione and Ginny. After they arrived to the Heads' rooms, they sat around a desk.

Justin greeted them and then told them what his father had said. "Father tells me the vote is going to be close, closer than we expected. Many Commoners are baffled as to why this bill that supposedly speaks about pureblood horses should be dealt with in Parliament."

"This will work in our favor. Also, the Queen's Bench have been apprised of the loathsome behavior extended towards some of Her subjects. They will start researching and calling witnesses on Monday."

Susan said, "But time works against us. Soon we will have to get married or lose our magical powers. I wish there was something I could do."

Right then a metaphorical light bulb went on in Hermione's head. She said, "Wait, I have the perfect solution to foil their plans!"

"First I need to know this: Draco, can you access Snape's potions room?"

"Yes, I can. What does that have to do with anything?"

Hermione smirked like a hunting lioness, "What we will do, my dears, is simply grab or brew a batch of Polyjuice Potion and use it to disguise ourselves as other people in our marriage ceremony. Thus, Draco could be wed to Pansy, and I to Harry, which would defeat the avowed purpose of the stupid Law. Faced with this dilemma, the powers that be would let us be!"

Draco fought to keep his chuckles inside. He answered politely, "I think there are some errors in that idea, Hermione."

"To start with, it is not a simple matter of changing our appearance and deceiving their eyes. We would also have to deceive the magical marriage vows. This contingency has been known to happen again and again. The authorities decided to tighten the vows so that the magical signature must agree with the name of the person."

"For the marriage to be sanctioned I would have to be wed to Lavender Brown, my magical signature would have to agree with my name. If it were someone else under Polyjuice, the signatures would not match and the alarm would be raised."

Draco reclined and steepled his fingers, he said, "Tell me, Hermione, have you wondered why Severus needed to learn magical distillation in order to finish the Serpent's Map?"

Hermione silently shook her head.

"As you know, distillation is the physical process wherein two or more liquids are separated according to their different boiling points. You heat them until one evaporates and is condensed elsewhere. You have managed something quite hard: separating the liquids without touching them directly."

"Distillation is useful in potions, too. Except when the liquids are so fragile that any heat directly applied would cause that their magical essence collapse, like unicorn tears, dragon's blood, basilisk's blood, etc."

"This hampered potion-making for several hundred years, until the enterprising Imperial alchemists around Flamel thought about _magical_ distillation."

"This is simply the separation of liquids based on their magical properties. When Severus read about this, he had a conceptual breakthrough. If magical distillation worked with liquids, could it work with magical symbols, that is, distill the importance of magical signals received?"

"He created a potion that when applied to the parchment of the Map, simplified the magic gradient of the area displayed inside. Instead of dealing with ambient magic galore, only a few features are distilled and shown, and this can be controlled by the user."

"So the Map displays the magical signature of a being and cannot be fooled."

"You may wonder if we could still fool them anyway, seeing as they don't have the Map."

"Let me enlighten you, they have something different but perhaps more terrifying."

"Deep inside the Department of Mysteries there is a room. It is very well protected and only selected people approved by the current Minister of Magic can enter. It holds a facsimile of a giant map of Britain."

"They say that knowledge is power. Ancient cultures held that to divulge their name needlessly was a very foolish thing to do."

"After a magical baby has been named, a dot representing that person appears in the Situation Map in that hidden room."

"Have you ever wondered why Tom Marvolo Riddle changed his name? Why change it to '_I am Lord Voldemort'_ which has exactly the same letters?"

"You know that the arithmantic value of a name is of the utmost importance magically. By changing his name and yet retaining that value, Voldemort escaped being located in the Situation Map. At the end he was able to use its magical properties to pinpoint the people that spoke his name."

"Our magical signature is represented in the Situation Map in that nameless room, we cannot change it, unless we changed our names and convinced people to call us by our new ones."

"That is why we cannot escape our fate with magic, that's why the person that designed this plan is brilliant. It is also why we must get help from the non-magical world."

In Malfoy Manor, Lucius was sitting down to dine with his wife Narcissa. The blonde was a bit sad at Andromeda's continued resistance to allow any contact between the estranged sisters.

Narcissa had a wistful expression and a faraway look in her eyes. Lucius imagined that she'd gone on a shopping spree to London, and he didn't blame her.

When he put the cane on the chair next to his and asked her softly where she was, she replied, "I was helping to get a magical child to the orphanage, Lucius! These persons were treating the poor girl awful, apparently because she 'made things happen.' I arranged for the little angel, whose name is Miriam, to go to St. Odile's Orphanage. I will be visiting her frequently. Hopefully she'll settle down."

Lucius wondered how to raise the next topic. He started cautiously, "Do you mind if we have two guests for dinner tomorrow?"

Narcissa looked at him curiously and cautiously. Lucius cringed inside as he recognized that Narcissa was deeply worried about these visitors, namely, whether they would be former Death Eaters or no. Lucius knew that his wife had all the right to feel anxious, given what she and Draco had endured the past years because of his errors. He made a vow to himself to try to do the best for his family, and stay away from potential bad apples.

Lucius said, "They are the Finch-Fletchleys, they are the parents of the Hogwarts Head Boy and friend of Draco, Justin. They are also Muggles."

Narcissa gasped, Lucius wanted to invite Muggles to the Manor? This seemed strange. Yet, the more she thought about it, the more she understood it. Lucius had been following his father's insistent teachings to attain power at first, then he felt the relentless drive to get more and more powerful, even if he had to bow to Voldemort.

After the ordeal with the Death Eaters, the Final Battle, and Voldemort dead and gone, he was free, perhaps for the first time in decades, to do what he wanted. If she remembered correctly from Draco's letters, Justin had two Muggle parents, and his father served the Government in some capacity, doubtless Lucius would meet his political match, and maybe learn that there are good Muggles.

Narcissa smiled tenderly and replied, "I'd be happy to help, Lucius. What do you want to serve them? You'll have to modify the wards around the Manor so they can admit Muggles here, Lucius."

Narcissa continued, "I think we'll use the oval parlor. I wish we could use eleccity so we could watch those things they call soaps."

Susan Bones and Hannah Abbot were walking hurriedly to lunch. They'd slept late that Sunday, and therefore missed Justin and Draco's quick departure towards Hogsmeade.

Terry came up to sit at their table, which had become something like a neutral place in the Great Hall. Zacharias also tried to sit with them, but a stern glare from the usually reserved Hannah sent him packing to the other end of the table.

Hermione and Ginny sat at the Gryffindor table, flanked by Harry and Ron.

The owls with the Sunday edition of the Daily Prophet appeared and descended upon the students. Susan paid for her paper, looking annoyed. She was just going to peruse the first page when she found a small, tantalizing notice. She went to page A3 and read:

_It has come to the attention of the Minister of Magic that unauthorized troubles are taking place in Wizarding-Muggle relations. A Bill important for the future of our world is up for discussion in the Muggle Commons, and it appears to be losing support fast._

_Who would dare go against the common welfare of our society? Can it be a remnant of the former Death Eaters or is it something else entirely?_

_Reporter_

_Rita Skeeter_

Susan got really mad. Who was that Skeeter woman to write such trash?

She hurriedly left the Great Hall, followed some moments later by Hannah. The brunette raced to keep up with the strides of the taller blonde.

Susan recalled seeing her Aunt Amelia many times, after bruising political battles in which nothing substantive was done, so as to keep up pretences. Her Aunt had found the experience of government to be extremely dissatisfactory at times, yet still rewarding at the end.

Hannah and Susan heard footsteps behind them, and they took out their wands, just in case. A voice called, "Are you all right? You seemed a bit angry."

Hermione and Ginny came forward. After noticing the Hufflepuffs leaving the room, she and the redhead had managed to get rid of their false fiancés to meet the Puff girls.

Susan started bemoaning how unfair it all was. Hermione just pointed out succinctly, "The problem is not what they print, it is that they do know about the opposition to the Law in the Commons."

Hannah suggested, "They might've heard it through some comments of the Members of Parliament."

Ginny said, "I think Justin suggested that the Ministry does not pay attention to Muggle politics at all. They just keep a liaison with the Prime Minister through a portrait. That would not give them opportunity to learn about our efforts. Hermione is right, there is something wrong here!"

tbc


	6. Chapter 6

**October 4th, 1998**

**Hogsmeade**

On Sunday, Draco and Justin met Hannah, Susan and Terry and together they spent part of the morning in the Three Broomsticks, where Draco learned he'd been right about Madam Rosmerta's mood. The owner stared at him and glared.

Draco sighed, got up and went to talk with Rosmerta. The buxom lady, arms akimbo, waited for the blond to say something. Draco coughed and started by apologizing for his actions. He explained the constraints he had been working under, the lives of his parents depending on his reaction.

Rosmerta snorted hearing this; still, she relaxed noticeably and gave him a curt nod when he was finished. Draco knew that he was not forgiven, not by a long shot, but it was a small step in the right direction, and if Madam Rosmerta was distrustful of him, she had obvious reasons that with time may be overcome.

When he returned to their table, he heard the lamentations of Terry Boot. The brunet Ravenclaw was bitterly bemoaning the fates that would bind him to Anastasia Warbeck. Granted, he liked the Weird Sisters' music and he was honored to be marrying Celestina's niece, but the woman was so old! 39 years old!

Justin smacked him upside the head, the curly-haired blond was visibly angry. He drawled, "Enough of this nonsense, Terry! I've seen pictures of Anastasia, she seems a nice woman. You should look beyond age, sex or blood status. Those things only serve to separate us!"

Hannah whistled and opined, after sipping her butterbeer, "Wow! You sound just like Potter, Justin! Could that be why you are going alone with Draco to that rendezvous?"

The blonds blushed, knowing better than to open that can of worms.

Hannah apparently woke up with a mean streak today, for she asked Susan nonchalantly, "How is it going with Robert Lehmke?"

Susan coughed and sputtered the diet cola she had been drinking. She glared at Hannah and brushed her plaited hair as she sought to compose a response that would placate the curious piranhas she called friends.

"We went out yesterday. We went to Puddifoot's and watched you as you were leaving with Harry, Draco. You looked so cute!"

"We had a very good time. Robert wants to find a job in the Muggle world, because the selection here is awful according to him. You are either a Healer or a Quidditch player, Auror or Potions Master, or work for the Ministry. Robert is still not sure what he'd like to do, but he would like to try for something that mixes sociology and science."

Terry winked at Susan and turned to ask Hannah a question, as he sipped delicately from his glass of mead. Susan was very interested to hear that exchange. Many people were unaware of Terry's qualities, which could have put him in any House. He was as brave as a Gryffindor, as loyal as a Hufflepuff, as ruthless as a Slytherin, and as smart as a Ravenclaw.

Terry said nonchalantly, "How are things with our delightful chum, Mr. Smith? I heard he tried to kiss you yesterday."

Hannah blushed furiously as she replied, "That git! Apparently that spell that Ginny used on him made him as randy as a weasel. He accosted me outside our Common Room and kissed me! It was awful! I grabbed my wand and stupefied him, leading him to Pomona Sprout's rooms. They gave him detention for one month. I hope that teaches the git a lesson, never toy with me!"

The petite Hufflepuff had a reputation of possessing an even temper, but when she got really angry she let loose, which may be the reason Draco let her alone in the past… and now.

The blond Slytherin offered solicitously, "Do you want help with a prank? I still have some material left from the last time I received a shipment from George Weasley. I can't stand overbearing, patronizing people like Smith."

The sounds of tendons as several people rolled their eyes unobtrusively could be heard. If you were a werewolf, that is.

Hannah replied coolly, "I'll take that under advisement, Draco."

In the afternoon, Draco and Justin made their leisure way to the meeting with Lucius. Unfortunately Jason Finch-Fletchley could not come because he was in the midst of parliamentary maneuvers.

After they arrived and were ushered to a private booth by Aberforth, Lucius appeared. The Malfoy patriarch looked tired and worn; his hair was messily tied up in a ponytail. He was still dressed perfectly, though.

He greeted the boys and they sat down. Lucius cast privacy wards and started the debriefing, "As you know, the vote takes place tomorrow. In the current political climate, the Government would be bound to carry the day and approve the law by 10 votes."

Justin's and Draco's faces fell, and Lucius continued rapidly, "Still there has been a campaign carefully nurtured by your father, Mr. Finch-Fletchley, which asks the serious question: why is the government so interested in pureblood horses and their mating?"

Lucius sighed and continued, "This sly campaign of ridicule has been most successful where my connections could not go far enough. Together Jason and I will probably carry a block of 330 votes in the Commons and we presume we'll have enough power to defeat this Bill and therefore avoid the possibility that it becomes Metamagical and obligatorily binding."

"This vote will weaken the Government and perhaps move them to pressure the Ministry, given that they themselves will face the scrutiny of the European Union and the UN."

As they were ready to leave, Draco asked Lucius, "How can I program the Serpent's Map?"

As was his wont, Lucius answered in cryptic sentences, "You have all that you need. The name is a clue. Remember all that we have learned through the years together. The Map cannot be programmed using a wand."

Lucius concluded with, "After the vote is taken, Jason will call me on this telephone thing he gave me. Then I will send an owl immediately to the castle, so you know."

That Monday the group was restless, full of energy and nothing to do with it.

Ron had just come back from his first session with the councilor, called Mr. Jones. The man had asked for a frank account of why he hated the Slytherins so. Ron told of pranks played on him, but then the conversation went differently than he expected.

Mr. Jones asked, "How do you know that all Slytherins are bad?"

"Well, they all ran away from the battle!"

"Among the Aurors, about 9 per cent were Slytherin. The percentage among healers was 13 per cent. Were these people evil, the ones who fought by our side, even though you didn't know?"

Ron fumbled for a response, but Mr. Jones continued stating facts, "Among the Death Eaters, 7 per cent were Ravenclaw, 5 per cent Hufflepuff, and 6.3 per cent were Gryffindors. Should we tar these Houses then? Are the actions of a few the responsibility of everyone?"

Mr. Jones continued before Ron could reply, "Let's move to the pranks department. Sure, Mr. Malfoy played some pranks on you, and tried to get you in trouble with teachers, even to get you expelled. However, along the way you fail to note that he was slapped, turned into an animal, beaten by a Gryffindor while two others held his arms, ambushed on a train facing a vastly superior force, being turned again into an animal and left alone to perhaps die. I would say this more than evens the field; wouldn't you say so, Mr. Weasley?"

Ron flushed an angry red and he replied irately, "He let the Death Eaters into Hogwarts, he tried to kill me! It's all right if I can't stand him!"

Mr. Jones answered calmly, "If I may point out, Mr. Weasley, all the incidents I mention occurred before your fated Sixth Year. Therefore you have to acknowledge that you were treating Mr. Malfoy like dirt under your shoes, like an unredeemable criminal, _long before he came to serve Voldemort._"

"I submit to you that you hated Mr. Malfoy long before you even met him for the first time. I then ask you to ponder the question, 'What is prejudice?' We'll talk about these issues in our next session. Good day, Mr. Weasley."

A confused and somewhat irate Ron left the room and walked outside, looking for a certain bushy-haired witch.

Hermione was on her way to Greenhouse #3, when she was attacked. It was a flash of red hair that informed her of the identity of her seducer: Ron. She had come to enjoy the tranquility, security and love that surrounded her interactions with Ron. Sure, she was very mad at times with the stubborn redhead, and he could sure lose some of his biased ways, but he remained his Ron.

But she couldn't marry him just like that, because of some order. She would be treated then like an inferior being, some kind of slave. All her work with SPEW stemmed from the fact that it was odious for her to force herself on someone against their will. In her view, Free Will was a very important factor. Anything that decreased that freedom unnecessarily was to be fought.

The redhead interrupted Hermione's meditations by kissing her soundly. There may have been an amount of predictability in his actions, but his honest passion and sweet fumbling gave the kiss a heated quality.

Ginny was on his way back to Gryffindor Tower, to put the finishing touches to her Potions homework. Fortunately Draco had given her some insight into what the potion did, enough so she could find quickly the different variants in the Library. Reaching the Fat Lady, Ginny gritted her teeth and almost growled, "_Power Puff girls_." She swore that if she ever found the Muggleborn git that was setting the passwords, she'd hit him with a well-placed Bat Bogey Hex.

Looking at the garish colors decorating the common room, she had to agree with Draco, they hurt the eyes. Ginny espied Harry sitting on his favorite coach. He was zealously finishing his own homework. An assignment from Professor Sprout, the Herbology teacher.

Harry looked up from his work and beheld Ginny. He beamed at her and his green eyes were as gorgeous as ever, twinkling with joy.

Ginny felt warmth as a result of this. Still, a small part of her mind, perhaps affected by that long-ago experience in the Chamber of Secrets, urged her not to trust too easily. When Draco suggested keeping Harry out of the loop, Hermione had objected strenuously, but Ginny's cool pragmatism prevailed, and they all agreed not to let Harry know.

Ginny knew Harry as only a love-struck eleven year old girl could. She had watched through the years from afar and in the midst of things. The crush had changed and mutated, becoming something else. Her family had ultimately prevailed in the harsh struggle against Voldemort, but they had also lost a most valuable member of the family, Fred. Through all the hardships, hopes and dreams won and lost, there was a common thread: Harry.

Ginny didn't know if she and Harry would marry or not, however, she knew he would remain one of most important persons in her life, one of the most beloved.

At the end of dinner, a lone, regal eagle owl appeared and flew to Draco, who was seated at the Hufflepuff table, sandwiched between Hannah and Susan. His owl extended his leg and Draco took the parchment. After giving Osiris a part of his fried chicken, Draco told him to fly to the Owlery, then he signaled covertly to Ginny at the Gryffindor table, and told the blonde and the brunette to alert the rest of the gang.

With Draco in the lead, they made it to the Room of Requirement. The blond paced the requisite three times in front of the tapestry of the dancing trolls and the door appeared.

They entered to find a tastefully decorated version of a common room, with green walls and silver couches. After Susan and Hannah bemoaned the color scheme, in revenge for the boys complaining about theirs, Draco took out the parchment he'd received from Lucius.

He took out his hawthorn wand and intoned the counterspell, wondering why it had to be in Portuguese.

The numbers rearranged themselves into letters and the missive was legible, it said:

_Draco,_

_You will be pleased to know that the Marriage Law was defeated in the Commons today by 20 votes. The Government cannot reintroduce the measure because it would fall if the bill were rejected again; already they are not looking forward to the grueling questions they will be subjected to in Parliament on Friday._

_However, that still leaves us with the trouble of the Magical part of the Marriage Law. Jason has contacted the parents of the other students and they will be taken to London, to render a deposition before the Director of Public Prosecutions, attending will be representatives of the EU and the UN. I advise them to answer with utter candor to any question they pose._

_Justin will be called on Wednesday, Ms. Bones and Ms. Abbot on Thursday, Mr. Boot and Ms Granger on Friday. They have separate visits so the whole affair does not become obvious._

_Lucius_

Once everyone had read the letter, Draco burned it. Justin drawled imperiously, "I have to prepare for the deposition! It's very important that they have the correct impression!"

Ginny answered scornfully, "Why worry, Finch-Fletchley? It will be all right, after all, you're the Head Boy!"

Justin sighed and tugged at some of his curls. Ginny seemingly could not forgive him for having bested Harry for this position.

Terry Boot jumped to the rescue, saying "Come on, Justin! We'll prepare your position papers and strengthen any weak points we discover. If we have any question about magical nuances, we'll just ask our resident experts, Draco and Hermione."

At the end, Hermione and Ginny went with Susan and Hannah to help them 'prepare their position papers,' while Terry and Draco worked with Justin.

**October 8****th****, 1998**

**Hogwarts**

Susan and Hannah had a bad night; they couldn't sleep faced with the responsibility of shouldering their burden regarding the Marriage Law. Susan wondered if this was similar to what Harry had to endure when he did battle against Voldemort and his minions, time and again. If so, her respect for the man increased exponentially.

Justin, who was sitting nearby having breakfast, smirked and poured some milk for Terry as he told them all, "Do not worry! It is not taxing at all. We went to this old court in St. James's, where we met Mrs. Sosa, the representative of the European Union, and Mr. Hanek, the representative of the United Nations."

"The DPP started taking my testimony. The Director of Public Prosecutions used a really neat wig which I think you will love, Susan."

Susan glared at Justin and made to reach for her wand. Justin hurriedly continued, casting sly glances at Susan's hands. "Anyway I said I was a wizard. There wasn't any outcry, so the representatives were aware of that. I talked about Hogwarts, the separation caused by the blood status, and the Marriage Law and its putative effects as it would apply to us."

"I explained that I liked Daphne Greengrass, my intended bride, but was not willing to obey like cattle and do what they wanted just because they are the government. I wanted to wait some years to have children, and now I am forced to do so within a year, or I forfeit my magic and my inheritance."

"Mrs. Sosa asked my opinion about why the EU should concern itself with matters dealt with internally."

"I replied that they were our only possible source of succor. I explained some of the bizarre things that had occurred in the Wizarding World, like the witch hunts organized by Barty Crouch Sr, the authoritarian bent of the society, the inflexibility of the government. I further argued that the EU and the UN should concern themselves with this affair because it was in defense of human rights, which are guaranteed in their founding charts."

Visibly relaxing, Susan and Hannah started eating breakfast heartily.

**Malfoy Manor**

Lucius and Narcissa waited for the Finch-Fletchleys in the Red parlor. Lucius had sent them a portkey, after being reminded by Narcissa to get one that could transport Muggles.

Lucius had grown to really like the curly-haired man. He was a keen follower of politics, like Lucius himself, and it was refreshing to find someone with whom he could let his hair down, talk about Muggle and wizard affairs with complete honesty. Someone who knew about his past, and didn't feel compelled to put him down for it.

In a sense, it felt like having Severus as a friend again, and that wounded him. It hurt because it reminded him of his lost best friend, who lived a very unhappy life.

He would always miss Severus, but it was nice to see that sarcasm was alive and flourishing, if not as thickly as under the last Headmaster of Hogwarts.

He was distracted from his thoughts when the Finch-Fletchleys appeared in front of them. They staggered and would have fallen if Lucius had not grabbed them by their waists and held on to them.

Jason drawled sardonically, "I must say I understand now why Justin does not prefer this mode of travel. Lucius, let me introduce you to my wife: this is Antonia Finch-Fletchley. Antonia, this is Lucius Malfoy."

Lucius looked at the petite blonde woman. She had intense green eyes, her hair was ash blond and she had a delicate neck. Lucius bowed, and shook her hand, saying "Enchanted_,_ Mrs. Finch-Fletchley."

She replied, "Call me Antonia, Lucius."

"Will do. Jason and Antonia, allow me the great privilege of introducing my wife: Narcissa Malfoy."

After they shook hands, they were led to the dining room by a house-elf. Antonia and Jason looked at the elf, called Frisky, obviously wondering why he was there.

Narcissa explained the house-elf situation as they started eating.

They started a lively discussion, where the women exchanged stories about their children and jobs. In Narcissa's case, she explained about her frequent visits to St. Odile's Orphanage and how worried she sometimes was about possible Muggleborn abused children.

Antonia offered to set up an appointment with a social worker supervisor. This would enlighten Narcissa as to how the children were received into the system and how this could be improved upon.

Jason assured Lucius that the depositions were coming out apparently good. The functionaries, after being initially disgruntled because they were called into the case, were reading the information quickly.

Justin, Susan and Hannah had laid the groundwork for them. Already there were signs that Parliament was pressuring the Ministry of Magic to rescind the Law or they would take a closer look into wizard affairs.

The Prime Minister had been called to Buckingham Palace each day this week. It was safe to say that Her Majesty was not pleased.

HDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDH

In the Slytherin common room, Draco was finishing his homework and getting ready for bed.

He went to his room, opened the door and entered. He took out his robe and school uniform and put on his t-shirt. He hated the fact that he couldn't testify. But that was the crux, wasn't it? That he had no identity in the Muggle world and therefore no recourse to justice. He didn't exist for them at all. It might seem like a Machiavellian plan, except it was implemented by his side, the people who supposedly worked to protect him.

Sighing, Draco grabbed some parchments and started thinking idly about his father's cryptic remarks concerning the Serpent's Map. Apparently the name was a clue, maybe something having to do with serpents?

Something they learned throughout their time together. Serving Voldemort? No, they spent blissful years when Voldemort didn't bother them, because he was supposedly dead.

That no wand can program the Map. Maybe only the Elder wand could do that? He would have to get Harry to do it, if that was the case.

When a parchment changed in front of him, he realized he held the Serpent's Map. It showed the room and the nearby ones. Idly he moved his finger and the Map followed the commands, showing different portions of Hogwarts. Mmmmhh, what were Susan and Robert Lehmke doing near the Great Hall? Possibly good blackmail material.

Then he got it to show the Owlery. Draco paled when he saw the Map; this couldn't be, could it? It showed two names, and he suddenly lost the will for further explorations of the Map.

He laid the parchments aside and burrowed into the blankets, hoping for a little reprieve from the storm brewing outside.

tbc


	7. Chapter 7

**October 10****th****, 1998  
Hogwarts**

When Draco suggested going to Hogsmeade for another outing, Harry just vetoed the idea, smiling mysteriously. Draco duly consented, after having been shocked out of his wits by the strange sight on the Map; he needed a little time to collect himself, far from the hustle and bustle of human activity. This, of course, did not preclude contact with Harry; in fact, the soothing presence of the brunet would be welcome.

They made their way to Draco's room in Slytherin. There were three beds, but only one trunk, Draco's. The room had unsurprisingly Slytherin colors, with a touch of blue and beige. The bed was luxurious, with black silk sheets and green pillows and chairs. The blond explained that he would have shared this room with Greg Goyle and Blaise Zabini, but because they were studying at Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, respectively, the room was his alone.

Harry called for a house-elf called Ditzy and asked him politely to bring them butterbeer. Seeing Draco's raised eyebrow, Harry confided that Ditzy was a close friend of Dobby's, who looked for him after the Final Battle to inquire about his elf friend. Draco sighed and stared wistfully out of the window. Even though they were in the Dungeons, the window was charmed to show a very bucolic meadow, with wildflowers shining brightly in the bright morning light.

Ditzy returned with the butterbeers and also some delicious cookies, courtesy of the Hogwarts elves. Harry and Draco talked about their families, how his parents seemingly followed his whims until it wasn't possible, in Draco's case; or how the Dursleys tried to utterly break Harry's will.

Harry felt too hot and took off his robe and the beige button down shirt he was wearing underneath that. Draco looked at Harry's finely delineated torso with barely concealed lust, so he was easily persuaded by Harry to do likewise. He took off his robe, his Slytherin scarf and his black shirt.

Harry drooled at the sight of Draco's fine physique. It reminded him of the Renaissance statues he'd seen one day on the TV, when the Dursleys were out. The sparse blond hair, almost invisible, the sharply defined chest and those delicious abs. He needed to get more!

Harry knew how much the Slytherin wanted to appear calm and aloof. Coincidentally, and by dint of being his unstoppable arch-nemesis for six years, he knew exactly the way to crack his armor.

He said, "I dare you to take off all your clothes, Draco!"

Draco coughed as he blushed, accepted the challenge, and answered sarcastically, "What's gotten into you, Harry? Is this what you really want?"

Harry drawled sexily, although unconvincingly, "Nothing's gotten into me, yet, and although I may be fairly inexperienced, I know what I want. I've made up my mind."

Draco demonstratively took off his trousers, shoes, socks and boxers, never noticing Harry's patently cheerful smirk or the way his eyes widened when he saw his cock.

Harry proceeded to chuck off his clothes, haphazardly. He didn't care where they landed, unlike Draco.

Harry proceeded to jump on the bed, near Draco and grabbed his cock with gusto. Moving his hand up and down on the smooth skin.

Harry was really turned on doing this, during the day. Completely naked as he and Draco jerked each other off. He wanted more than this, though, much more.

Harry asked, "You like this?"

Draco sighed deeply, saying, "Yes, this is really good."

"Why don't you sit on that chair?

With a surprised mien, Draco released Harry's cock and actually scooted to the edge of the chair. Now that Harry had an unobstructed view of his cock, he realized it was bigger than it had felt. It was at least 9 inches long and thick, especially in the head, it was a fitting crown to that magnificent shaft.

He gulped looking at it, and he was tempted to back down. He felt especially wanton today, though, and without further ado he grasped the root of the beautiful cock. Harry slid the head into his mouth and withdrew it. He began raining kisses on it, laving it with his tongue and finally sucking it. Draco shuddered as he felt his length enter the warm sanctuary of Harry's throat. Harry stroked the base with his left hand as he gingerly touched Draco's ball with his right. Harry overcame his hesitation and took the member in his mouth.

He worked his way down the cock slowly and gently, becoming more relaxed around the shaft, until he had most of it engulfed. The blond's hand pushed him down gently.

Then Draco tugged Harry's head urgently. A disgruntled Harry looked up to him. Draco smiled apologetically and said softly, "Someone's knocking at the door. I have to see what they want."

The annoyed men put on their boxers, trousers, shoes and robes. Draco answered the door and it turned out to be Liz Lehmke. The blond felt like using some curse on the worried-looking ombudswoman.

Liz spoke softly, "I'm sorry to interrupt, Mr. Malfoy, but I have been unable to contact my nephew Robert, we were going to Hogsmeade, but he never showed up. Since he is friends with your group, I thought you might know where he is."

Draco smirked diabolically and said, "Ms. Lehmke, I suspect you might find him in Madam Puddifoot's with a certain someone, a certain blonde someone."

Liz thanked Draco and left the room hurriedly. Draco looked forward to seeing Robert's and Susan's faces as they were caught in Puddifoot's. That would teach them to keep their appointments!

They quickly stripped off their clothes again. Harry pushed Draco down on to his bed. His cock was as big as ever and Harry was even hungrier for it after their interruption.

He swallowed most of the cock almost immediately. The brunet hoped the blond could tell how much he was enjoying the moment. Harry's cock was rigid between his legs. He wanted all of Draco and he wanted it now. The blond moaned as he grabbed Harry's head firmly.

Harry stopped before Draco would come, and he turned around and said, "Come on, shag me!"

Draco rubbed his backside tenderly as Harry kept wiggling. Eventually, the Slytherin's hands began pulling apart Harry's cheeks, his fingers circled his anus and slowly he pushed one finger in, then another.

Draco stopped the movements and asked hoarsely, "Is this what you really want, Harry?"

Harry moaned wantonly and tried to impale himself on the slim fingers. The blond must have realized how turned on Harry was, because he stopped, grabbed his wand and accio'd some lube.

Harry couldn't see what Draco was doing, but he imagined the blond kneeling down next to him. He felt the cold wet cream as Draco lubricated his waiting hole with one finger, then two and ending with three.

Harry felt Draco positioning him on his hands and knees. Then Draco guided himself into his eager hole with one hand, while he grabbed Harry's hips with the other.

Harry felt some burning at the beginning as his body was entered, but quickly it became an ineffable sensation of warmth.

Draco asked concernedly, "Are you all right?"

Harry nodded as best he could while Draco pushed with vigor. Harry soon realized that Draco had his cock buried in him to the hilt.

Harry was now lost in his pleasure. He gripped the bed sheets like a man trying to save himself from drowning, his face pushed into the mattress. Harry whimpered, "Don't stop, Draco." He continued whispering, "Fuck me harder. Fuck me harder."

His whispers got the desired result. Draco was more turned on than ever. He couldn't even tell what was going on anymore. His sensations ran the whole spectrum; he could hear himself begging to be fucked harder.

At last, Draco began driving into Harry with more passion than ever. Harry scrunched his eyes and pushed back against him, his face buried in the sheets as he moaned one last time. He could feel him shoot deep inside as Draco forced his way inside one last time.

Faced with this imagery, Harry came and hungrily clenched around Draco's cock, milking it for all it was worth.

They collapsed there, panting. Slowly Draco withdrew from Harry.

The blond took his wand and performed cleaning spells for both of them. The exhausted young men dived under the sheets, cuddling each other.

Before Draco fell asleep, he noticed that despite Harry's intimating that he was very innocent, he sure knew how to make the right moves during sex, and projected an image of raw sensuality.

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On Sunday, Hannah Abbot was walking down to the Lake, when she noticed a mop of blond hair approaching at dangerous distances. She cursed the fact that she'd lost so much schooling, while under her relatives' care. She constantly had to fight her tight schedule to have time for herself, and when she did, she had to find the most annoying git in the Universe!

She quickly approached a copse of trees and blended easily in the shadows.

She heard footsteps coming from the other direction and stepped back from the sanctuary of the trees to behold one of her schoolmates, Dean Thomas. The tall, distinguished-looking, black Gryffindor greeted her cheerfully and they started talking about football, one of Thomas's hobbies that Hannah did not like at all. She kept trying to steal glances over her shoulder when Dean noticed and asked nonchalantly, "What's the matter? Don't you want to speak with your lovely _fiancé_, Zacharias Smith?"

The petite brunette replied, scowling fiercely, "I hate that git's guts! I hope I never have to marry him. It is unfair to force one to marry against one's convictions."

To distract the enraged Hufflepuff, Dean started talking about Brazil's chances in the next Soccer World Cup. Hannah interrupted, "Why do people talk about that country so much when discussing the Cup?"

Dean smirked infuriatingly and replied, "Maybe because Brazil has won the Cup several times. They are a top contender, like it or not, and they are always in play even when seemingly invisible. You have to take that into consideration always. Now, if it was up to me, I'd be watching the English and German teams."

Then they talked about TV shows, a compromise for them. When she looked at her watch, she saw it was time to go back to Hogwarts. She said, "Excuse me, Dean, but I have to go back and finish that Potions homework from Professor Slughorn. He's very punctilious regarding grammar, and I'd better have a head start."

Dean smiled easily and replied, "I can help you with that. That year I paid especial attention to Potions, given that Snape was not there."

The Hufflepuff and the Gryffindor made their way back to Hogwarts.

Hermione was in the Library, preparing her Runes essay. She decided to place special emphasis on the Futhark Runes. She dipped her quill and prepared to write as a flurry to her left indicated that Draco had arrived. The Slytherin sat down next to her with his own sheaf of papers. He took out quills and an ink bottle and prepared to write. He glowed and looked like the cat that ate the canary.

Hermione started writing about a Rune that symbolized the security of home and the love of family. She mused sadly if this would ever happen to her. She reminisced about life with her parents, before she transformed them into Monika and Wendell Wilkes.

Draco interrupted her meditations saying, "What's the matter, Granger? You look a little lost."

Hermione replied, "It's nothing, Draco. I've told you about how I modified my parents' memories and sent them to Australia. I've located their new home, but the research I've read seems to show that the result of cancelling the spell would be lethal."

"I can't do this to them, so I'll let them live a happy life. Still, that means that I have lost them!"

Draco replied wistfully, "Not necessarily. I know how it feels to fight with all you've got for the lives of your parents. I would have done what you did in a heartbeat, if I'd been able to. I would keep Lucius and Narcissa safe from the clutches of Voldemort."

"But if you cannot give them back their memories magically, there might be other means. For example, did they like to read?"

Hermione said, "Mom loved to read Science Fiction. Dad tended to read more historical novels. Mom especially liked the Dune series and David Brin's work. She loved to speculate about what would happen with the world. She never lost that interest in science, even when she learned about magic."

Draco added, "Justin tells me of this electronic World Wide Web they have. The Net. He tells me people write stories about their favorite books and put them in these pages. Perhaps you should write stories based on the books you know your parents love. In these tales, perhaps a princess faces the immediate extinction of her family unless she takes swift action and desperately concocts a plan to erase her parents' memories and whisk them away, so they can live free. There could be cues that hinted at the life they lived before they had you."

"Let the stories flow, and one day, your parents may read them. Eventually you would return to them and hint about your family life, introducing them step by step into the world they left behind, doing it gently so they can absorb as much of the truth as they can."

A voice out of thin air added, "He's right, Hermione!" With a flourish, Harry took off the Invisibility Cloak. Thankfully they were the only ones in that section of the Library. Hermione thought that this dramatic side of Harry was sometimes hard to take.

The brunet sat at the other side of Hermione and added, "Memories are not eternal. They fade away with time, lose their sharpness and vivid colors and become like sepia photographs, eventually all the colors run into grey."

"Memories do not last. However, love lasts. The emotions behind their actions still remain; they are like prisoners waiting to be freed with a touch, or a scent. They love you, even though they don't know it yet, Hermione. Do what Draco says."

Hermione wiped her right cheek surreptitiously with the pad of her thumb. She said, "Do you think love lasts forever, Harry?"

Harry replied, "I don't know what awaits us in the next great adventure, but I do know that something so ephemeral and resilient, something so deep and inclusive cannot be easily dismissed."

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The trio fell into their pattern of doing their homework, when they were disturbed by an unwelcome Gryffindor. Lavender Brown entered the room and directed herself to their table. She started chatting cheerfully with them. Hermione was trying her utmost to ignore her. Harry listened and interjected occasionally a comment or two. Draco listened with a stoic face and smiled from time to time.

Hermione was so intent on ignoring poor Lavender that when she wasn't writing, she was looking at books, other tables, other parchments and not at Lavender. So it was she who noticed when Draco touched a seemingly innocent parchment which suddenly started to sprout lines and colors, coalescing around a facsimile of a room. The Serpent's Map!

She observed the usual smirking snake and psychotic lion icons. She noticed Draco's, and her own and Harry's. She saw a lion icon next to Lavender's name, which also had the initials PB appended.

PB? But that meant that Lavender was pureblood! There was a way out for Draco!

The blond had noticed Hermione looking intently at his hand. He then saw that he was holding the Map. He reached the same conclusions as Hermione. He also knew that the irrepressible Gryffindor would cause a ruckus if it was handled incorrectly. So he lifted his hand from the Map and the parchment immediately became blank.

Draco turned to stare at Hermione and said, "Come with me, we'll find Justin and he'll tell you all about the Net." He sauntered over to Harry and mussed his hair affectionately. He blew a kiss in Lavender's direction and said, "Till later." Then he grabbed Hermione's hand and dragged a seemingly unresisting Hermione to the first empty classroom he found. He cast privacy charms and let go of Hermione's hand.

She softly said, "Did you see it?"

Draco replied, "Yes, Lavender is a pureblood."

Hermione answered excitedly, "But that gives you an out! You can go to the Ministry and say that Lavender is pureblood and therefore cannot marry you, a pureblood, under the guidelines of the Marriage Law. You've got them by the balls."

Draco sighed and said tiredly, "I don't think you understand who you're fighting against, Hermione. These are not chivalrous gentlemen who would step aside and apologize if they ever heard that. They are ruthless people that seek to control the purebloods' fortunes through nefarious means."

"If I went to them as you say and did what you suggest, all they would do would be to search for a more unpleasant partner, someone even more pliable to their demands. They would then announce that person as having been chosen by that fabled Goblet."

"If push comes to shove, I'd rather work with Lavender. Sure, she is vain, opinionated and a little shallow; she is also courageous, intelligent and stubborn. We have a seven year history together. She was never the main target of my sarcasm. I can work with her and persuade her to make common cause with me, the father of her future son. If they choose a total stranger, I would lose that."

Draco sat himself down at the desk, and twiddling his wand carelessly, continued, "Life is not as you would like it to be, where there is peril and an easy solution, an easy fix. It demands pain and suffering, and certain ruthlessness. It is human nature."

"I must ask you to solemnly swear that you will reveal to no one what you have learned: that Lavender Brown is a pureblood."

Hermione sat down in the desk, next to Draco, and replied, "Do you want me to make an Unbreakable Vow?"

Draco smiled and replied, "A Gryffindor's vow is sacred, especially if it's you, Granger. Your word will be more than enough."

Hermione agreed and vowed that she would keep that knowledge to herself. A little bit later, Draco took out the Map and it activated, showing the room and the corridors next to it. Draco moved his finger and a bit farther away he noticed the icon of Ron Weasley, apparently coming near them. Draco advised Hermione of this development and the bushy-haired witch hurriedly left.

tbc


	8. Chapter 8

**October 19th, 1998  
Hogwarts**

Draco sat on his bed, ready to gather his things and go to class. During the weekend, he'd tried to manipulate the Map with no success. He sometimes fumed at Lucius, for not coming out and saying things clearly. Lucius had always been there, pressuring him to succeed. It was him who insisted Draco must learn at least 3 Latin languages.

Hoping for succor, Draco had confided in a gleeful Potions Master, whose solution was to glibly suggest that Draco should learn German too. At least Draco learned from this costly mistake and never tried to pit his godfather against his father again – openly, that is.

During Transfiguration class, which he took with the Hufflepuffs, Justin sat next to him and murmured _sotto voce_, "Your parents and mine are going to the theater tonight. They'll watch the musical _Les Misérables_, which is playing in the West End."

Draco nodded to the exuberant Hufflepuff. He'd received a letter from Narcissa telling him about the event and how she went and bought a new dress. From what his mother wrote, Lucius and Jason were becoming very good friends. Maybe this would do Lucius good, open his eyes to new experiences and not the old prejudices. He shuddered thinking about Lucius surrounded by his old cronies: Crabbe and Goyle, McNair, Rosier, Lestrange, the Carrows.

Susan decided to spend her free hour near the Lake. She let her hair down, for once, and it was flowing around her like a magnificent golden halo. She wondered how she would deal with Etienne Zabini, if they failed and could not defeat the Marriage Law. She would have to put up with a philandering husband then. It was awful.

The sound of a twig breaking made her turn her head and she saw a black-haired, brown-eyed Slytherin. She called, "Hello, Robert! Come and sit down by my side!"

Robert Lehmke sat beside her and they started talking about taking revenge on a certain silver-eyed Slytherin. He'd spilled the beans about their whereabouts before a certain ombudswoman, leading to some embarrassing moments at Madam Puddifoot's.

Susan had a surprisingly mean streak but that was tempered by her well-known loyalty. She would not prank Draco, but that didn't mean that she would not spill certain of his secrets – like the fact that he was very ticklish – to interested parties, namely Harry.

Robert was excited because he had received a reply from Harvard University. He could try to enroll there, and if he passed the exams correctly, he could get a scholarship. If he didn't get it, there were still many colleges in the United Kingdom he was interested in. He was especially intrigued by the fact that magic made electricity apparently unreliable. Could there be a way to remedy that? Maybe that would lead to a better source of energy.

Time passed chatting amiably, and the students ended up in a heated snog, which was rudely interrupted by a drawling voice, "Guys, I hate to break this up, but you have to move!"

Visibly garnering patience, Susan spoke up, "Why did you interrupt us, Draco? Tell me one good reason!"

Draco buffed his nails against his trousers and said officiously, "Maybe it is something unimportant, Susan, or maybe it had to do with the fact that Liz is headed here!"

The annoyed Hufflepuff-Slytherin couple went their different ways and Draco took to launching pebbles at the Giant Squid, hoping that it would react.

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Terry and Justin were sitting in the History of Magic class, bored out of their minds. Mr. Binns had become an even more annoying ghost than usual, as if he had taken refresher courses on pestering the living. He now took to murmuring to himself, "History is doomed to repeat itself. The cycle commences again."

Instead of dutifully taking notes of some Goblin war or rebellion, Terry took to moaning in writing to the Head Boy, complaining about his forced marriage with Anastasia Warbeck.

Justin replied succinctly that at least he would always be assured fresh supplies of the Weird Sisters' CDs and videos. Terry snorted and smacked him upside the head.

Mr. Binns saw that and hectored them, saying, "I saw what you did to Mr. Fletcher, Mr. Jerry Loot. If you don't behave I will deduct points."

Unbeknownst to the boring ghost, the students continued their written dialogue. Terry teased Justin about marrying Daphne Greengrass, who was a pretty witch.

Justin replied that Astoria, Daphne's sister, was even prettier than her. She had a fair complexion, striking grey eyes and stunning golden hair.  
Justin wrote, "But enough of that. We need to get hold of some transcripts for this class, or we'll fail the exams."

Terry answered, "I know there is someone who manages the titanic feat of not falling asleep while listening to old Mr. Binns here. I will contact Hermione and see if she is agreeable to lending us her notes." He continued writing, "So what is new with the Head Boy position? Do you ever get tired of lording it over us lowly mortals?"

Justin snickered and wrote, "No, the Headship is not what it is cracked up to be. There is a lot of work finagling the schedule with the prefects doing the rounds. I also have to deal with the concerns of frightened students. Of course it's satisfying to be able to help them, but this cuts into the hours I could spend with Daphne or with you guys."

"As for the vaunted power of taking points off the Houses, I rarely ever use it. There are not many people I'd like to see chastised in this way, except for a blond git we all know and who is a fellow Hufflepuff: Zacharias Smith. If I hear him praising himself for being there in the Final Battle I will scream."

"Strangely enough, there is another blond I would like to take points from: Draco. I admit to secretly liking the confrontations between Harry and Draco, they made me feel more alive somewhat. Maybe we could get them into a fight like that."

Terry wrote back, "I know what you mean. There was this raw quality to their exchanges, whether friends or foes, that kept you on your toes. When I saw them fight, I was entranced by the sheer passion of the exchange. You never doubted they disliked each other, it was raw and honest. And you didn't see it anywhere else. Sure, Zacharias Smith bothered Harry a lot, but Harry chose to turn the other cheek and did not grace him with a response, the same happened with Seamus. All the seeming hate he focused on Draco."

"Draco had fierce fights with Ron and Hermione, but they lacked the fire, the verve of a Harry-Draco confrontation. When you saw them fight, they inexorably drew you in, like a line in a painting draws your eyes inward and you become aware of something new, like a haunting note in a beautiful melody tugs at your heartstrings."

"By the way, do you know a spell for sore wrists?"

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In the afternoon Ron made his way to the room where he had the appointment with his councilor, Mr. Jones. The councilor had asked him to invite Harry, so the brunet entered nervously the room, trying unsuccessfully to tame his mop of hair, and gingerly sat down.

Mr. Jones asked Ron if he had meditated about the question he'd posed, "What is prejudice?"

Ron replied, "To me prejudice is judging a person not based on what she is, but on other things like race, religion, pureblood status, etc. It's making assumptions about things you don't know. It's persecuting other people because of what they think, of how they look."

The councilor said, "I'm going to ask both of you the same question: Is there prejudice in the school?"  
Ron said, "Sure there is intolerance, it's those damned Slytherins! They're the most prejudiced people on earth, with their pureblood status and all; hopefully the Marriage Law will change that…"

He was interrupted by an earnest Harry, who said, "I think there is prejudice, but it is waning since the end of the war. I think there will always be prejudice. Our job is to inform the people as best as we can about the facts beyond their narrow viewpoint, and hope that human nature reasserts itself and people become more aware of their shared humanity, for upon that ship we must sail, or fail and die."

The councilor said, "It is interesting that among the things you mentioned about prejudice is that intolerance is judging a person by certain features, like blood status, and it's also persecuting them for what they believe in. Do you stand by that?"

Ron replied confidently, "I do."

The councilor said, "Then I must point out it is strikingly similar to your behavior towards Mr. Malfoy. You judge him for his family and for what he believed in."

Ron exploded, he stood up and said, "But he almost killed Katie Bell and me! How can I forgive that?" Then Mr. Jones raised his hand, indicating he wanted to answer. Ron sat down again, angrily scowling at the councilor.

Mr. Jones continued, "I know those concerns are true. Still, a court of law decided it was not in society's best interests to prosecute him or his family. I submit to you that he's paid enough. Mr. Potter, do you hold the same opinion?"

Harry sat down next to Ron and lightly touched his shoulder as he said, "I know that he did horrible things, Ron, but I also witnessed what Voldemort put him through. Believe me, it wasn't pretty at all. There was the relentless force to comply, or his parents would be killed on the spot. There was constant physical and mental pain as they endured life by the grace of Voldemort. Then after the battle the grueling trials took place, and they were most taxing."

"I spoke for them because, how could I not? They're human, like us. When they cut them, do they not shed red blood like all of us? In the end, it doesn't matter if they are pureblood or halfblood or muggleborn. All that matters is our common humanity. This tells me that they can change. Voldemort and many of his Death Eaters were too much into the Dark path to make it back. The Malfoys stand at the cusp, their love for each other kept them truly safe, in more ways than one. Knowing this, I could do no other thing but to help them."

After a pause, the councilor discreetly coughed and said, "I don't ask you to forgive Mr. Malfoy if you do not want to, Mr. Weasley. I ask you to try and put your confrontations where they belong, in the past. In the end, this will prove better for you."

"You can try to keep alive the old hate and harass Mr. Malfoy for the rest of the year. However, pretty soon school will be over and you won't see each other again. Mr. Malfoy will be rid of you. On the other hand, Mr. Weasley, you will still carry around all that repressed hate, all the unwanted emotions within yourself, and that will stunt your growth."

"I ask you to be the better man, Mr. Weasley, so you can grow more as a person."

Ron said, "I may try, but if ever Malfoy taunts me, I will punch him again!" He grimaced and continued slowly, "But letting go of the hate seems so hard! It's true we're leaving Hogwarts behind, but I don't want to!"

Ron beamed and his face lit up as he exclaimed, "We've had so many adventures here, Harry! Remember when the Twins gave you the Marauder's Map?"  
Then Ron's face visibly shut down and he looked on the verge of tears as he continued, "Merlin, I don't want to leave here!"

Ron started sobbing as he finished, "I don't want to leave Fred behind, God I don't want to forget him!"

Harry offered him a handkerchief, rubbed his shoulders and answered soothingly, "Fred will always be remembered by the people who knew him, he's unforgettable. You can't ever leave him behind, Ron. I learned from using the Deathly Hallows that the people we cherish are always with us. They surround us with their love. I'm sure Fred wants you to be happy, and for that matter, so do George and the other members of your family. You are never alone."

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Hermione and Draco were in the Library, checking books about Runes. By now they were pretty sure that only simple runes had been used on Magna Carta, which was understandable given the knowledge at the time.

Hermione was teasing Draco about how Harry seemed to glow suddenly, and did he have any clue as to what caused that?

She enjoyed watching the usually unflappable Slytherin blush. The wily blond countered with the same question directed towards Ron and her, and this time Hermione blushed.

The door opened and a harried-looking Andromeda Tonks walked in, carrying Teddy Lupin in her arms. She looked for and found Ms. Pince and got into a discussion with her.

The toddler looked flushed and coughed frequently. When he saw Teddy, Draco's face lit up and he waved to the baby. The toddler waved back and even began to change part of his black hair into platinum blond.

Andromeda finished abruptly her discussion with Ms. Pince. She saw Hermione and went to her, grimacing when she saw she was with Draco.  
She gave Hermione a curt nod and completely ignored the blond. She said, "I need to find Madam Pomphrey, and no one in this school seems to know where she is! Can you help me, Hermione?"

Hermione answered, "I don't know where she is, but I could take care of Teddy while you look for her."  
Andromeda nodded judiciously and said, "This will have to do. Just don't let _him_ hold Teddy." She motioned towards Draco.

Then she gave the toddler to Hermione and stormed out of the Library.  
Draco, undeterred by Andromeda's harsh actions, began to make faces at Teddy and making the toddler laugh. Between bouts of coughing, the baby managed to turn himself completely blond.

Teddy opened his arms and wanted Draco to hold him. Hermione could detect beyond Draco's apparently calm manner that it really hurt him to be unable to hold his second cousin's son. Hermione realized then that all Blacks were vindictive, not just the bad ones.

After Draco played peek-a-boo with Teddy some more, Andromeda returned and unceremoniously picked Teddy up, with a hint of distaste at finding the platinum blond toddler. The Tonks matriarch said, "I've found Pomphrey, she thinks it might be a magical flu. If it is, I'll have to bring Teddy here every day for his infusions. Say good-bye, Teddy."

With a wave from Teddy and a scowl from Andromeda, they left the Library.  
Draco tried to get up and leave, but with a mighty push from Hermione, he fell back into the chair. Hermione intoned ominously, "What gives with Andromeda, Draco?"

Draco replied, "Mother has tried to reconcile with her sister for years, Hermione. She sent letters to Andromeda every year on Nymphadora's birthday. Aunt Andromeda never replied. The last ones were returned unopened. I could understand if she had some reservations when the Death Eaters were around, but this continued even after the Battle. One day they met haphazardly at a social gala, and mother said she could help with the education of Teddy, but Andromeda was enraged by this opinion."

"Now tell me, have you given any thought about the idea I proposed to contact your parents?"

Hermione replied uncharacteristically hesitantly, "I believe you are right. I have the Dune books with me; I'll lend them to you so you can read them and give me ideas."

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Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy met Jason and Antonia Finch-Fletchley right on Charing Cross. Narcissa asked crossly why they couldn't just take a portkey to the theater and Jason replied genially that they would miss the fun in getting there.

Jason opened the doors of his silver car and the two couples climbed in. They started talking political business as Jason drove expertly through Charing Cross and then Shaftesbury. Finally he stopped in front of the theater; he opened the door for Antonia as Lucius opened the other side for Narcissa, and gave the car keys to the valet.

Lucius thought about how the wizards lost all the nitty-gritty of going places by simply Apparating or Flooing, like the way the drizzle of the rain fell against the car windows, casting strange shadows on the seats, or the way Narcissa brushed her hair when a sudden gust of wind caught it.

They enjoyed the musical immensely. For Lucius it was a glimpse into a strange world, so very different from the one he knew yet the essential things remained: honor, despair, betrayal, death, love. As he listened to Fantine singing "I dreamed a dream," he felt the despair, the hopelessness, the tragedy imbued into the song by the artistry of the composer and interpretation of the singer. It was a very poignant moment.

After they got out of the theater, Jason proposed going to a Chinese restaurant to have dinner. The other three concurred and they drove through Oxford Street and part of the Strand.

They had a relaxed and sumptuous meal, and at the end, they received the traditional Chinese fortune cookies. When he broke up his, Jason read to the assembly, "Change is on the way. Keep working." Jason chuckled to himself as he mused, "That sounds like a political slogan, maybe I'll give it to the Whip!"

When it was Lucius's turn, the cookie said, "A man dies, a man is born. The world rejoices." The blond suffered good-naturedly Jason's jabs. And he mused that this time, the cookie had told the truth.

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On Wednesday, Daphne Greengrass had a visitor, her irrepressible little sister, Astoria. The Greengrass sisters were beautiful, each one in their special way. Daphne had a great figure, hair as dark as a raven's, and a winning smile. It was no wonder that the Head Boy was taken with her.

The petite Astoria was blond; she had a slim figure and a winning personality. She was outgoing and carefree. She and Daphne had a long running bet about which House she would have been sorted into. Daphne suggested Slytherin and Astoria herself Gryffindor.

When they went to the headmistress's office, Astoria noticed the repaired Sorting Hat and decided to end the bet once and for all. After a little cajoling, the Headmistress approved of the unofficial Sorting and Astoria put on the Hat.

The Hat said in her mind, "_My dear Miss Greengrass, you fulfill veritably the requirements of all the houses: bravery like Gryffindor, cunning like Slytherin, wisdom like Ravenclaw and loyalty like Hufflepuff. Where to put you in this mock sorting?"_

Astoria mentally begged, "_Anywhere but Slytherin, put me in Gryffindor, I wouldn't want to be with the cunning snakes and their apples, but with the courteous lions and their pride!"_

The Hat calmly replied_, "There's bravery enough to put you there, Miss Greengrass, yet there is also much cunning that qualifies you for Slytherin. I think there is one house that suits you best, though."_

The hat bellowed, "Ravenclaw!"

The surprised sisters looked at each other. No one won the bet!

McGonagall coughed and said, "The reason for Miss Greengrass' visit is that she has received her grades. Put simply, her OWLS were satisfactory and she can now enter her last two years before the final NEWTS exams."

McGonagall discussed the options available for her in her home schooling plan, and Daphne offered helpful advice from time to time.

When they finished, they left McGonagall's office and were taking the moving stairways to get to the Great Hall, when Astoria noticed an unmistakable mop of blond hair and shouted, "Draco!"

She ran and met the person, who effectively was Draco. They embraced and Draco said, "Nice to see you, Tori! Are you staying for long?"

Usually Astoria hated to be called 'Tori', but she accepted it in the case of Draco. She explained, "No, I have to go to Hogsmeade and meet mom and dad in the Three Broomsticks."  
While they were walking, they met a witch with red hair. Draco intoned, "Allow me to introduce you to Ginevra Weasley." "Ginny, may I present Miss Astoria Greengrass?"

The witches took a moment to size each other up. Ginny extended her hand and Astoria shook it forcefully. They had a delicate look but they could pull a good punch, as Draco would personally attest. In fact, he was chastising himself about introducing them. Maybe that had been a mistake.

Ginny smiled and said warmly, "Can I call you Toria?" Astoria smiled and replied, "Sure you can."

Draco rolled his eyes and followed the pair of witches as they started to discuss Muggle vs. Wizarding gear.

tbc


	9. Chapter 9

_**Disclaimer:**_The movie "The usual suspects" is distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, no profit is intended herein.

**October 22****nd****, 1998  
Hogwarts**

Sitting on his bed, Draco was holding the Serpent's Map and idly following people's icons around, wondering if he would chance to find some unusual pairings, as had happened before.

_Pairs, pares, Paaren_, funny how similar the words were in English, Spanish and German. The thought made him grimace as he remembered Lucius's stern attitude concerning education. He believed he had his father wrapped around his little finger, and he knew he did, as he confided to Harry during that first meeting at Madam Malkin's. In fact, later he did manage to outsmart Lucius and make him buy all those brooms for the Slytherin Quidditch team, all in the guise of competitiveness, of course.

But he failed miserably when it came to education. There Lucius remained inflexible, and expected Draco to do his best, he crammed his head with all that useless knowledge about languages. Lucius expected Draco to do better than the genius Granger, and he was relentless.

Later Lucius got drawn into the vortex of Voldemort's return, as all of them did. Education mattered little in those days; it was all about surviving the next minutes, the next hours, and the next days.

Now that things were back to normal, at least as close to normal as they got, Lucius was back on his education obsession.

He wondered why Harry hadn't visited him lately. He'd seemed aloof and reserved, as if he was planning something.

Draco learned what the planning was about on Friday during dinner. Everybody was shocked when Harry knelt down and proposed to Ginny, giving her an ancient ring belonging to the Potters. Everyone expected Ginny to cry with joy at being selected to be the next Mrs. Potter. The redhead just nodded numbly and uninterestedly extended her hand so Harry could put the ring.

Draco was sitting with the Hufflepuffs. Justin and Hannah restrained him from going to Harry. Hannah opined, "Give it time, Draco. I'm sure Harry has his reasons for doing this; although knowing him, they may be the result of a hare-brained scheme. Maybe he is showing he complies with the Marriage Law."

Susan added, "If you want me to zap him, I will, Draco. No one messes with one of my own, not even Harry Potter!"

Draco unobtrusively observed the angry Hufflepuffs. He could see that Susan was tugging on her plaited hair, and Justin grabbed some of his blond curls and tugged seemingly strong. Whenever one of the Heads started grabbing their hair, things were going downhill, so Draco replied promptly, "I'm ok, Susan. I will deal with Harry in my own way. He'll rue the day he proposed to Ginny!"

After dinner, when he tried to speak with Draco, Harry met an inflexible wall of Hufflepuffs staring down at him with loathing. When he asked why they were behaving so discourteously, Draco drawled, "Think about what you just did, Potter, and come to your own conclusions. Now why don't you go back to your excited _fiancée_, or should I say, completely unflappable bride?

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The next day, Harry and Ron were playing Quidditch one on one. Ron was not a bad Seeker at all, and he gave as good as he got. He was disappointed that Harry chose not to play Quidditch, but at the end he was supportive.

Ron said, "I think it will be great to call you brother-in-law, Harry, though you have always been like a brother to me!"

Harry blushed and replied, "So have you, Ron. I remember when you rescued me with the flying Anglia; the adventures in the Chamber of Secrets, finding Sirius. You were always by my side."

Ron said, "And you have really forgiven the Ferret for the things he's done?"  
Harry replied, "We did worse things to him, and he has forgiven us."

Ron replied sadly, "I don't think I can forgive him, not yet and perhaps not ever. But I'll try to ignore him for you, Harry. Don't think I don't know certain things! Like a good older brother I am aware if my siblings get in terse situations."

Ron smiled diabolically and said, "Just be careful, Harry."  
A blushing Harry just nodded, and with a bit of wandless magic sent a Bludger towards Ron. The redhead saw the looming danger and was forced to maneuver to avoid it.

Draco was throwing stones at the Giant Squid, again, when he saw a flash of red hair and a petite witch approached and greeted him, "Hello, Draco!" She offered a parchment with a flourish.

Draco drawled lazily, "Hi, Ginevra, what brings you here in this beautiful Saturday morning?" The blond was right; the morning was delightful, the sun shone warmly upon the cold land. The trees were stark in their simplicity, as they prepared to suffer the onslaught of winter.

Ginny replied cheekily, pointing to the parchment, "I convinced Harry Potter to sign that document, which gives me the power to represent him in any legal battles. I want you to add him to the aggrieved parties that are battling the Marriage Law in court."

Draco was astounded, which didn't happen too often, and he replied nervously, "How did you manage to get it? Did you use… magic?"

Ginny emitted a deep throated laugh and said, "No, I did not use _Imperio _on him, Draco. He is resistant to that anyway, remember? What I did was convince him that it was in his best interests to sign that form. I can be pretty convincing when I have to."

"If my First Year taught me anything, it was how to survive. It also taught me how to dissemble, how to hide real or imagined wounds. That year was a harsh master. So I can be pliant when I have to be, but I hate it. I hated seeing Harry's twinkling eyes as he looked at me like his conquest."

"I loved Harry for a long time, like a fair princess loves her knight in shining armor, because Harry once played exactly that role in my life. I loved his spontaneity, his loyalty and courage. I thought if I won his love, Harry would trust me always."

"So when he and I started going out in my Fifth Year, I was pleased. However, at the end of the year Harry said he had to break up with me, in order to protect me. I realized then that I would never belong to that trusted circle of people he respected. He might love me, but he saw me still as a maiden who needs to be rescued."

"Frankly, I am all done with the males strutting around and posturing, _always_. They fight about who has the bigger cock, the most money, the most power. In the end, even Voldemort's fight was all about who was the most powerful _wizard _in the world. They all do it, even you, Draco. I've noticed how you looked after Astoria when she was here, as if it was your responsibility to care for her."

Draco defended himself, "It's just that I have known her since she was a toddler. I tend to watch out for her."

Undeterred, Ginny continued speaking softly, "You are the same around Susan and Hannah, and you've been their friend for a short time."

"Men will always protect women, because they see them as _weak and frail_." Ginny laughed bitterly as she continued, "Weak! As if suffering the ordeal of giving birth was an easy thing! For nine months we carry another life inside us, and it is a wondrous feeling, but also a very demanding situation. Frail! As if taking care of a newborn was an easy thing, often done alone because of circumstance or choice."

Ginny pointed to the parchment and said, "So here is the document, because I want to contribute more to repeal that damned Law, because I don't want to end up as a trophy wife, seen as the comfortable way to discharge a debt owed to the Weasley family."

After saying that, Ginny stomped away in the direction of Hogwarts. Draco remained throwing stones at the Giant Squid, thinking about her words and impassioned delivery.

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In the afternoon, Draco and Justin were walking down High Street in Hogsmeade to attend their meeting with their fathers. Draco was enthusiastically talking about movies with Justin. He had been introduced to the concept of movies by Lucius. The elder Malfoy had become an enthusiast when Jason showed him a movie called "Deliverance." The blond Slytherin wondered which movies would be worth watching and the curly-haired Hufflepuff replied, "I know exactly the movie for you to see, Draco! It's very interesting. I can have dad drop us in our family's flat in Edinburgh when he goes back, and we'll rent it and watch it. Lucius can make us a portkey to get back to Hogwarts."

They stopped at Scrivenshaft's so Justin could buy some quills he needed. Apparently the lack of news concerning the Marriage Law stressed him. He would hold the quill too forcefully, and it got damaged.

They arrived at the Hog's Head, and after cursorily glancing at the ugly hog's head nailed to the wall, they were led by Aberforth to their usual place. Dumbledore, as usual, spent some time with Draco talking about old news and recent developments.

At 3:00 o'clock a harried-looking Jason appeared, presumably still in awe at the unseen Thestrals that powered the carriage. He was followed 10 minutes later by Lucius. The elder Malfoy greeted the Finch-Fletchleys affably and nodded to his son.

After Lucius cast privacy charms, Jason started to explain exactly where they were in the political situation concerning the Marriage Law. He started, "You will be pleased to note that the judge deemed the new Law to be null and void, considering that it violates or contradicts Articles 8 and 12 of the _European Convention on Human Rights_, which was incorporated into domestic UK law by the _Human Rights Act 1998_. The judge didn't deem it too important where the human rights abuse was taking place, only that it was happening right now to UK nationals."

Jason frowned and continued, "However, that does not mean that we are out of the woods. The Government proceeded to complain against the judge's decision and it was taken to a higher court. There are two higher courts that will be consulted, but I remain sanguine that we will pull through. The final decision will come when the case is presented to the House of Lords by the Lord Chancellor. There the decisive votes will be cast by the Lords Spiritual, the Lords Temporal…"

Lucius interrupted, "And the Lords Magical."

Draco and Justin gasped. Justin asked, "What do you mean, Mr. Malfoy? Do you mean to say that…?"

Lucius replied calmly, "Yes, Justin. You heard all right. The Lords Magical were an integral part of the House of Lords until the Burning Times. In the aftermath of that particular horror, the Lords Magical decided to retire themselves from the deliberations and erased all mention of their names and positions, along with many memories. The Lords Magical decided to occupy themselves with ruling over the Wizarding World, and became the Wizengamot."

"There is a provision that the Lords Magical may return to the House of Lords, if the need is great."

Jason concluded, "The showdown will come. The people are becoming increasingly aware of the strange goings-on. Surely by the time the final vote occurs in the House of Lords, many reporters' eyes will de directed there. If the wizards show up, the truth of the Wizarding World will be known. So we'll see what they really want: to keep the Secret intact or to impose their Marriage Law to gain a lot of money."

After Draco asked Lucius for a portkey and he refused, Draco started pouting and generally looking miserable. Finally, the elder Malfoy sighed and rubbed his forehead. He conceded defeat and proceeded to make the portkey out of a glass.

When the students and Mr. Finch-Fletchley arrived to the seemingly horseless carriage, both Draco and Justin could see the Thestrals in front of it. Justin shied away from them and Draco got closer. He felt the uncanny need to pet one. The dragon-looking winged horses were drawn to the Dark, like he had been. Many people would find it strange that he wasn't able to see them until that fateful day on the Astronomy Tower, during Sixth Year, when Dumbledore died. They'd think he was used to killing, but he wasn't, and therein lay the paradox.

A Death Eater who does not want to kill, a Slytherin who fails to use cunning. Draco sought to profit from his mistakes, but sometimes it was so easy to go back to ancient methods, especially when you didn't know who to trust. Why had Harry proposed to Ginny? Did he want to go back to her? Was he then only playing with Draco's feelings? Who was genuine?

The ride ended shortly and they got off from the carriage. Jason went to his car, opened its doors and the teenagers hopped in. Jason and Justin started discussing things like how their favorite soccer teams were doing. Draco kept interrupting, and the answers to his questions grew ever more convoluted.

Justin asked his father to stop by a movie rental house. He and Draco got off and went to browse the titles. The curly-haired blond selected one and then paid for it. Eventually they arrived at the flat on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Jason stopped and the students got off. He pointed to his shirt pocket and told Justin to call him before they went back to Hogwarts. Then he waved, got on the car and drove away.

Justin sighed, hunched his shoulders and commented, "The flat is on the third floor, we'll use the stairs."

After they arrived and Justin opened the door, he asked, "Don't you wonder how you would fare in the Muggle world, Draco?"

Draco took a look around. The apartment was decorated in beige and white; the furniture was austere and functional. In the living room there was a big square, which he supposed was the screen, there were rugs thrown haphazardly and three sturdy-looking couches.

Draco replied finally, "Yes, I wonder. I used to dislike it immensely, but when I was at the Manor and Voldemort was around, I used to dream of a world where I could leave my problems behind, all the troubles caused by magic. It was a surprise to me when I realized this world already exists, it is the Muggle way of life."

"I can imagine myself living in a place where there is no magic, because that would mean no onerous responsibilities as the Malfoy Heir, hated and adored even before anyone has met me. It would take some getting used to, but I think I could manage."

Justin went to the kitchen and returned with some colas and snacks. He put the disc on, turned on the TV, and the movie "The usual suspects" started playing.

The Hogwarts students were entranced by the movie and watched it avidly. When it ended, Justin waited eagerly to hear Draco's comments. The Slytherin said, "Well, it was interesting. I gather these five individuals who looked like second rate Death Eaters were not good. Apparently they were interrogated by a bunch of seemingly bored Aurors. There is this ominous person that sounds like Voldemort. Then there is the little matter of the exploding wands the guys used."

Justin asked perplexed, "Exploding wands, Draco, what do you mean?"  
"You know these ugly, squat, dark wands that explode with a bang."

Justin fought to keep his grin hidden but he couldn't. He started guffawing as he explained, "These are not wands, Draco, but guns!"

Draco shot him a death glare, but Justin had grown inured to them. The blond Slytherin huffed as he continued, "In the end, that guy did it. I knew since the beginning."

"How could you know, Draco?"  
"Call it a hunch. Sometimes my hunches are proved to be completely right, to my own detriment."

Justin pondered that while Draco would have a tough life if he landed in the middle of a LA gang, he'd managed to grasp the gist of the movie. He had decoded the elements into shapes he was familiar with.

They finished their snacks and Justin looked at the time, it was 2:10 AM. He said, "We have to get back or McGonagall will lynch us! Wait here." He hurriedly took the movie, put it in a plastic bag, opened the apartment's door and put the bag in front of the neighbors' door after he scribbled a note asking them to turn the movie in for him.

Then he took his cell phone and called his father, telling him they were about to leave for Hogwarts.  
Finally Justin took off the glass-portkey, but in his haste, he dropped it and it broke in several pieces.

After Draco chastised him for his error and wondered how they would ever get back to Hogwarts, Justin used a simple _Reparo_ and said, "If you must know, the spell _Reparo _works to knit the pieces together up to the molecular level."

Draco muttered, "Head stuff getting to your head and making it bigger, Justin?" Justin chose to tactfully ignore this, meanwhile he pictured ways to attack his – ticklish – opponent. He'd have to find a way to thank Susan for that bit of information.

Draco wondered aloud if they would end up splinched using a somewhat splinched portkey, or even in the same continent, or the same reality.

Justin took the glass, pushed it towards Draco, who also touched it, then he muttered _Portus_ and the portkey activated.

They felt the indescribable feeling in their navel and arrived outside Hogwarts. They walked to the entrance and slipped in, taking care not to make any noise. They were outside the Great Hall when they saw a shadow skulking around, that of a tabby cat, who immediately transformed into Minerva McGonagall.

The enraged Headmistress proceeded to tell them what she thought of their thoughtless action, leaving Hogwarts unnoticed. Draco did not doubt any longer: any reality with such a McGonagall in it had to be his.

He didn't even try to moderate their punishment by calling Liz Lehmke. He knew the ombudswoman would make the punishment probably worse. They ended up with a week's worth of detention under Professors Sprout, Flitwick and Slughorn.

They separated at the stairs, Justin went up to Hufflepuff and Draco went down to the Dungeons.

Eventually Draco reached his room and entered, only to note a bulge in his bed and a seemingly enraged Harry asking, "What were you doing with Finch-Fletchley?"

Draco replied hotly, "What do you mean Mr. I'm-going-to-marry-Ginny? Why do you care who I spend time with? What gives you the right to enter here and ask me such questions? Merlin, I wish I'd never met you!" Draco paced back and forth, "What are you doing here? Get out of my room, get out of my life!"

Draco grabbed Harry and started pushing him to the door, intending to open it and throw him out. Harry started sobbing and said, "Hear me out! Please listen, Draco!"

Draco stopped pushing and allowed him to sit in one of the chairs. Harry wept as he said, "I'm forced by the Marriage Law to marry Ginny. I think that however twisted some people are when applying this law, its goals are pure: to ensure that the feud between the purebloods, halfbloods and Muggleborns ends once and for all, through peaceful means. People look up to me, I can't let them down, they have to see I'm taking the right path for the greater good."

"Loving Ginny seems like a serene and simple breeze, heart-warming, soothing and promising succor and safety; but you, Draco, you make my blood boil. I can't look at you without wanting to do many things. I want to worship you with my mouth, I want to be worshipped by you, it's a heady feeling, like the brisk wind of the sea after a deadly calm."

"So you see, I am at a crossroads, but I want to spend every moment I can with you, for I dread utterly the moment when I find I can't."

The two spent that night safely ensconced for the moment in the safety of Hogwarts, glad to be near each other, and ruing what tomorrow may bring.

Meanwhile, in the Head Girl's rooms, Susan was in a heated discussion with Hannah.

Susan said as she munched on a Chocolate Frog, "I don't know what all that excitement about football really is about. If you've seen one silly ball moved back and forth across a field you've seen them all."

Hannah replied, "Well, Dean is very vocal about his support for that sport. He's also cute when he gets defensive about his favorite team."

Susan asked boldly, as was her wont, "Well, do tell: have you kissed him?"

Hannah blushed and answered, "Of course not, I don't even know who he is going to marry!"

Susan replied, "Calm down, Hannah! What does it matter who they paired him with? We are doing all we can so that awful Law never makes it. It would be dreadful if we worked hard to destroy the bill, we succeeded and later you found out that Dean was going out with another girl or boy, because you never made a move on him."

"So cheer up! Or would you rather end up with old Zacharias?"

Hannah grimaced and hit Susan with a pillow, Susan replied in kind and the fight was on until they were interrupted by someone knocking on the door. Susan stood up and went to open the door. She found Justin and Terry, carrying some butterbeers.

Susan started to scold them, but Justin tiredly held up his hand, tugged his curls and said, "Yes, I know. But I'm already in trouble with McGonagall and then I found Terry wandering around, muttering about Anastasia and we decided to crash your room and bring some butterbeers and hopefully lively discussions."

The three Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaw took out some glasses; they also confiscated Susan's Chocolate Frogs, to her displeasure and dismay, and fell to discussing recent developments.

When Terry started moaning about Anastasia, Hannah asked him pointblank, "If you could choose, who would you marry, Terry?"

The brunet looked at the other and said softly, "Promise not to laugh?"

After they nodded, Terry elaborated, "I would like to marry someone like Pansy Parkinson."  
Hannah asked, "Why would you marry that… slut?"

Terry answered seriously, "You should know that is a rumor started by her arch-enemy, the Gryffindor queen herself, Hermione Granger, also known as the girl who would _confound_ a member of her team so her boyfriend Ron could squeak by and get a chance to play."

He continued softly, "Pansy is unlike any girl I've ever met. She's direct, stern and has a sarcastic wit. She won't sugarcoat things or do the right thing to appease others. Whatever you may think of her, it took guts to stand up in the Great Hall and take an unpopular position against Harry Potter."

Justin broke the sudden silence by saying, "Well, now you have the advantage of being a good friend of her best friend. Maybe Draco will help you. After all, I'm quite sure he likes you loads better than Seamus Finnigan, her preordained _fiancé_."

At that, everybody laughed.

tbc


	10. Chapter 10

**October 25****th****, 1998  
Hogwarts **

Ron was sitting next to Hermione, as he ravenously ate his breakfast. The redhead sighed as he looked at Hermione. She looked so beautiful to him, so endearing was her face, her unruly hair and her sometimes demanding demeanor. He hoped he would make her happy.

He had not been displeased at all by the Marriage Law and its selections. In fact, he had welcomed this as the chance to become one with Hermione. The bushy-haired witch was all he could desire. Sure, they fought constantly like cats and dogs, but that was part of the attraction, the pull the Gryffindors felt when they were together, a sense of homecoming and belonging.

During the search for the horcruxes, when Ron had precipitously left and then returned to find an empty place, he'd nearly felt his heart break when he found out he couldn't locate Hermione and Harry. All the time he searched for them he berated himself for being so short-sighted and damned voluble.

He never wanted to let Hermione go, but most of all, he wanted her to be happy. So when she admitted her resistance to the Marriage Law, he took it in stride and never lost sight of his prime goal, her happiness.

After listening to what the councilor Mr. Jones had to say, Ron kept away from Malfoy's path. He was sure he would never be friends with the git, but he would try to keep a civil front and tune down the confrontations. He realized that Mr. Jones was right, that Malfoy and he would go their separate ways in a few months, and he'd be left alone with the negative feelings.

He also recalled Harry's loving words about family and comfort. He knew he would never forget Fred, his easy laugh, his red hair flashing in the sun as they practiced Quidditch, the brotherly advice he gave him – often wrong. These memories would stay with him forever, and hopefully they would meet again in the fullness of time.

With a pang of guilt, he also realized he'd somehow neglected George. His pain must be enormous, and he'd been too immersed in himself to offer more succor. He'd write to George more and involve him more in his life, asking for his help to plan possible pranks.

Hermione was trying to remember if she had finished her Arithmancy homework. Frankly, with the pressure to understand the ancient runes used in Magna Carta, and her taking _Occlumency_ classes under Draco, the work was starting to pile up. Thankfully she wasn't the Head Girl. If she'd been, she would be crazy by now.

She turned her head to her left side and stared at Ron. The redhead was sometimes so blundering, he needed her help. Just a nudge to remind him to study certain subjects, though sometimes they ended up arguing and sometimes they ended up kissing.

Ron was the source of much of her dismay, and her pleasure.

Then the owls with the morning paper flew into the Great Hall. One of them stuck its leg in front of Hermione. The witch took out the coins from her bag and put them in its pouch. The barn owl flew off.

Hermione opened the paper and began to glance uninterestedly at the different news, until she saw a byline she knew. She read:

_**Marriage Law in trouble!**_

_Sources at the Ministry confirm that the Marriage Law was considered null and void by a Muggle judge. The Minister is baffled by this blatant act against this rightful and important Law which would help us heal faster. _

_It is also troubling to witness the attempts of the Muggles to interfere with our world. Why should we listen to their words? They don't know our traditions and strictures, and frankly they have no place among us._

_The Muggle Government seems to agree with this view, as they have vowed to turn the case to higher courts, which will hopefully overrule this decision. The vote might come to a decisive point in the House of Lords._

_Very troubling times for the Wizarding World indeed, when a Law enacted so that the blood conflict would disappear and the population would grow is itself in danger of disappearing due to Muggles._

_Reporter  
Rita Skeeter_

Hermione fumed. The nerve of that woman! She wished she would have kept the infamous reporter as a beetle forever, that's where she belonged!

Draco was sitting with the Ravenclaws, some of which gave him dirty looks. He was seated next to a suddenly ebullient Terry, who seemed to care very much that Draco was comfortable. The wily Slytherin detected other purposes, and decided to have a talk with the brunet. On the other side of Draco sat Harry Potter.

The Gryffindor seemed to be caught in a staring contest with some Hufflepuffs. The Puffs glared at him, _kindly_. Draco wondered how a glare could be given that was kindly-looking, but he knew if someone could pull this off, it would be Hufflepuffs. Susan, Hannah and Justin finally lost their staring contest when the owls came down with the mail and the paper.

When the Hufflepuffs read the news, they glared at the paper, and this time it was with loathing. This made Draco sit up, unfold the paper and read the story concerning the Marriage Law.

He remembered what he saw that night he was following the movements of the students using the Map, and he knew he had to get out of there. Harry told him he had Quidditch practice with the Gryffs, and probably would spend the rest of the morning there.

Draco went to the Library with Terry. The obsequious Ravenclaw finally got on his nerves and Draco demanded, "What is it that you want, Terry? You've offered to help me with my Herbology and Arithmancy homework; usually you are as tight-lipped about the classes as Hermione. What gives?"

Terry sighed and brushed some of his dark locks out of his face as he replied, "Can I ask you a favor, Draco?"

The blond considered telling him that he would help if he could, but he'd been a Slytherin for too long to pass up a chance to have some leverage, so he replied only, "Depends on the favor."

Terry said, "You know that according to the Law, Seamus Finnigan is going to marry Pansy Parkinson. We are doing what we can to derail that law. When Pansy is free to choose, I want her to take me in consideration. I know you're her best friend, and I'm asking you to help me with this. Surely you realize I would be good for Pansy!" Terry anxiously twirled his wand as he waited for Draco's response.

The Slytherin was inwardly smirking. This tailored perfectly with his plans! Not that he'd had _any_ plans concerning Pansy, but this opportunity was great!  
He drawled lazily, "I suppose you are a much better choice than Finnigan! The gall of that git! You would also keep Pansy intrigued."

"If you must know, Pansy likes the small gestures, like holding doors open for her, or romantic scenes, like using a trail of flower petals that leads directly to the bed. Although she presents a tough attitude to outsiders, she is kind and caring to those she cares about. Some of her posturing about Muggleborns came from her fear of Voldemort. As the rest of the Slytherins, she always had to keep a tight rein on her emotions so Voldemort could not use them against her."

"I suggest you write her a note, asking for her friendship and generally talking about yourself. She has healthy curiosity and will want to know more. With time, you will get to know her better, trust me, it is worth it."

"Of course, if you ever hurt her, I will not stand by and abide it! And if ever Pansy hears about my helpful suggestions, you will feel as if you had been rolled over by a stampede of hippogriffs, flobberworms and hippopotami!"

Terry gulped, thinking about the strange coalition of vertebrates and… worms implied.

Then the doors of the Library opened and Andromeda Tonks strode in, carrying a small toddler, Teddy. The baby saw Draco and started to change strands of his hair to platinum blond. Andromeda walked up to them, scowling fiercely at Draco, and asked Terry, "Do you know where I can find Madam Pomphrey? It is time for Teddy's infusions."

Terry replied, "If she isn't in the Infirmary then I'm sure she'll turn up presently. Do you want us to watch the baby while you search for her?"

Andromeda snorted and replied haughtily, "That won't be necessary." She walked to the door.  
Teddy, who all this time had been trying to get Draco's attention and get him to pick him up, gave up, frustrated, and started bawling.

The Ravenclaw scowled at the seemingly cold-hearted woman, and tried to distract Draco by talking about Pansy.

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In the Three Broomsticks, Justin was ordering elf wine as he waited for Daphne to appear. The Slytherin promised to look for him there after she had gone to Gladrags to buy a new robe.

While he was sipping his wine, Justin noticed two newcomers and motioned for them to come over and sit down. He drawled, "Well, Hannah, we seem to have similar tastes. Hello, Dean, how is Quidditch coming along?"

With that, the two boys fell into a discussion of which sport was better: football or Quidditch. A bored Hannah was relieved when Daphne showed up. The Slytherin and Hufflepuff, after discreetly rolling their eyes, started conversing amiably about friends present and absent.

Daphne sipped her butterbeer and leaned towards Hannah, whispering conspiratorially, "You might be interested to know some things about my snake friends." She winked and continued, "Blaise loves to sleep with a dragon."  
Hannah blushed and said, "A dragon, do you mean…?"

Daphne smirked and snorted delicately, "A _stuffed _dragon! It is a plushie he's had since he was a toddler, and it soothes him to have it in his arms. As for the _other_ dragon, I have it on good authority that he's very ticklish."

Hannah raised one eyebrow delicately and asked skeptically, "Really!"  
Daphne replied, "For real, Hannah. How do you think Pansy managed to get him to ask her out for the Yule Ball?"

Daphne continued, "I'd like to tell you about some of his companions, like Crabbe and Goyle. They used to drive Draco crazy, always asking him questions about essays. Crabbe would be typically stubborn and refused to hear Draco's suggestions, when it was him who originally asked for help! I think that was one of the reasons Draco became such good friends with Blaise. He'd found an intellectual equal."

Hannah asked, "What about Pansy?"

"Pansy is sharp, no doubt about that. But she is a little too involved in romantic scenes for Draco's liking. He likes things raw. Pansy is his sister in spirit, and he will help her all he can, but he's always yearned for something more."

The witches giggled and derailed the profound discussion of the wizards about the Chudley Cannons' chance of winning the cup (none) and Brazil 's to win the next World Cup (all).

Justin seized the moment and asked, "So tell me, Dean, who are you going to marry?"  
The women coughed and stuttered, and Daphne managed to say, "Of all the nerve! How can you be so uncouth, Justin? It seems Draco has rubbed off on you!"

Dean blushed and looked down while he answered, "I'm forced to marry Cecilia Bonham. She is a descendant of the chap who built St. Mungo's. I haven't even met her yet or seen a photo of her."

He continued shyly, "If it were up to me, I'd look for someone I could build a life with." He looked around and finally met Hannah's gaze, and the brunette also blushed.

Madam Rosmerta came to their table. The buxom proprietress asked them if they wanted anything else. Hannah, Dean and Daphne ordered butterbeer, and Justin continued sipping his elf wine.

Justin asked Daphne about her upbringing in a pureblood family. The brunette told stories of sibling conflict and resolution, which seemed familiar to Hannah. Then she spoke wistfully about her sister Astoria. Hannah could feel a slight bitterness toward the little sister, mixed with pride at her accomplishments. Her parents had decided to home-school her and it appeared she had done superbly well in the OWLs results.

Dean asked Hannah how she was doing with her classes, and asked her carefully to look out for his brother, who would start school next year. Hannah asked about his brother, who was named George Thomas. He was not as enthusiastic about sports as Dean; in fact he had a more intellectual outlook.

Hannah complained that she had to take another year. She would not graduate with his friends, and would return to what would feel to her like an empty Hogwarts.  
Dean chastised her gently, remarking that she would have the chance of graduating twice, once with her friends, and next year with her new friends. She could take the year slowly and really enjoy the peace and serenity after the battle she had joined in. It was very probable that she would get to be Head Girl, and if she didn't, all the more opportunity for her to just learn and relax.

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Late in the afternoon, Draco sat in his room in front of the window, staring wistfully as the raindrops fell down and coalesced into larger rivulets, before breaking up again.

He wondered if the window could be called a window still, when it was in the Dungeons and was charmed to show a view from outside. If the window didn't show its other side but an arbitrary one, then all bets were off.

He mused on the different names for window; fenêtre, fenster, ventana, window.

Idly he entertained the thought that the sounds of the French, German, Spanish and English words really did appear to be somewhat similar. All the Latin languages he'd learned during his childhood and his stint of German under Severus's influence had led to this.

Wait! All that time as a child learning languages. Lucius mentioned something about their time spent together learning, he suggested that would be useful to command the Serpent's Map!

If so, the second cue had something to do with the name: Serpent's Map. Except, maybe not that one, but the original one: _Schlangenkarte_. Severus named the Map in German.

All this had to do with languages, playing with them, exchanging words among them like tiny droplets that condense into larger streams and then break up again.

And the third cue was that the Map could not be commanded with a wand. He'd taken it to indicate he would need the Elder wand, but suddenly an idea popped into his mind. What if the Map did not require the magic of a wand? What if it only reacted to _wandless _magic?

Then he had in his mind the different puzzles that needed to be solved in order to be able to do wandless magic.

The key had to be the different languages. He tried to think about several different words in several languages, but failed to obtain any noticeable result. Then he remembered his epiphany with the window and knew what he needed to do.

He focused on one word, window, and its variations in several languages. He tried to think about it in structural terms, how it was handled in the different tongues. At moments he fleetingly sensed a deep symmetry that eluded him. He closed his eyes and imagined the window turning slowly dark.

He opened his eyes and beheld the dark window. He imagined the window regaining its former transparency, and it did so.

He had done it, he had performed wandless magic! Still, it was a chore to concentrate sufficiently and get the thing done. In a combat situation, if he relied on it, it would only get him killed. Still, it promised to be useful for certain things, like summoning wandlessly his wand, and of course, commanding the Map.

Draco made a mental note to practice this more, and prepared to work with the Map. He concentrated on the words map, guide, and their equivalents. After a while, he fleetingly sensed the coils of magic wrapped around the Map. He sought to manipulate the magical gradient imbued into it and modify it so it would show the strongest magical quality of the persons. He wanted the Map to stop showing the blood status.

Draco sat down and held the Map in his hand. The Map activated and showed his room, the corridors around and the Slytherin Common Room. He was pleased to note that under his smirking snake icon now there was only his name and an expected entry, there were no initials denoting blood status.

Draco went to his desk where he sat down and penned a letter to Lucius.

_Father,_

_You will be pleased to know that I can finally command the Serpent's Map. Although you could have made it easier if you had given me more information._

_Draco_

After casting the spells to encrypt the letter, Draco took it to the Owlery to get it to his owl Osiris.

On his way back to Slytherin, Draco met Elias Flint, a scrawny Fourth Year Slytherin who was a cousin of Marcus's. Elias clung to Draco's robes as he said, "A word with you, Malfoy!"

Taking two steps back, Draco mutely nodded and carefully tugged his robes the right way.  
Elias started, "I need your help, Malfoy!"

"Why?"  
"My cousin is imprisoned in Azkaban, along with my uncle. Other members of the family do nothing. This forces me to ask you for help, after all, you were fellow Slytherins."

Draco responded, "I'm sorry, but there is little I can do. We can try to find out if the guards treat them correctly; we will research their trials and find if the evidence was enough to convict them. We'll provide support if they need legal representation. If they were framed, we will fight for their liberty, but if they were judged correctly, the little we can do we will do."

Elias hunched his shoulders in defeat as he walked away, saying, "I thought you could do something."  
Draco replied, "I know how you are feeling. But I didn't want to promise something I would be unable to deliver. If your uncle and cousin were unrepentant Death Eaters there's little we can do but ameliorate their suffering."

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In Malfoy Manor, Lucius and Narcissa were discussing seriously the idea of buying a car.

Narcissa was astonished, she said, "A car, Lucius! Are you out of your mind? What do we need a car for? We can Apparate where we need to go, or take a portkey, now if it was a nice carriage with hippogriffs or even those awful Thestrals that seem so fond of Hogwarts, I'd say go for it. But a horseless car! How utterly plebeian of you!"

Lucius smirked; he knew just how to convince Narcissa. He said, "But dear, there are many places we can not Apparate to, because they are in the Muggle world, we can't appear out of midair, we'd break the Statute of Secrecy. You know our position with the Ministry is precarious at best…"

Lucius was interrupted by the hoots of his son's owl. The regal eagle owl deigned to show him his leg, where the message was tied. Lucius untied the scroll and hurriedly gave an owl treat to Osiris. Multiple biting had taught him to always have at least one treat to keep irritable owls happy.

He performed the counterspell and read the missive. The blond visibly glowed. He turned to Narcissa and said, "Draco has learned how to manipulate the Map!"  
The blonde replied, "He would have learned sooner if it had been up to me! You're way too Byzantine not only in your plots but in your teaching methods. You could have hinted at the answer."

Lucius answered indignantly, "It was important that Draco arrived at this insight on his own. It propelled his imagination into a fruitful path. If he had known the answer beforehand he would have been clueless and ineffectual in his intent, and it might not have worked at all, causing him to lose his confidence."

"Anyway, to continue with our discussion, we might need the car, my dear, to get to those shopping malls you once spoke so fondly of. To get there by Apparition is a chore because you first have to Apparate to an isolated place and then walk a lot to get to the store. With the car, you just hop in and drive it there, you've seen Jason doing it. You don't even have to fear that the unruly Thestrals will munch on unsuspecting people!"

After a token resistance, Narcissa agreed to go along with the plan, if she got to choose the car. Right when Lucius was leaving to supervise the feeding of his vain albino peacocks, Narcissa smirked an almost imperceptible smirk. Lucius had fallen for that trap. Of course she wanted a car! But Lucius insisted on his strategy. She swore that even when he was dreaming, he was maneuvering in his dreams. This way, she had the last laugh. She might choose a pink car, or not.

tbc


	11. Chapter 11

**November 7****th****, 1998  
Hogwarts**

That Saturday, Draco should have suspected something was up when Harry mentioned nonchalantly that he'd prefer if they did not go to Hogsmeade, as he had some chores to attend to.

A slightly disgruntled Draco stood up from the Ravenclaw table, where he'd been having breakfast in the company of Terry, Susan and Justin. Hannah was sitting near Dean Thomas at the Gryffindor table. More and more these days, it seemed that the barriers between the Houses were slowly crumbling from within, and no one cared except staid traditionalists like Ron Weasley, Ernie McMillan and Zacharias Smith.

Draco raised his eyebrows at his friends' queries and replied he had a mind to spend some time in the Room of Requirement, to exercise. If they wanted to join him he would wait a little while for them in his room.

Draco walked down the stairs to the correct floor, he sauntered slowly until he was in front of the common room, and the blond hissed the password, "_Agent provocateur_." The door appeared and he entered Slytherin territory. He quickly made it to the stairs and went to his room.

Once he entered he was attacked, he was immobilized by an _Incarcerous_ spell and his wand taken from him. He could try to react with wandless magic, but that took time to prepare! He didn't know if he had that time. Also his friends might come in at any second, and they'd be in danger, too. They might be ferocious and former members of Dumbledore's Army, but they were still Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaw!

A seemingly mocking voice said, "You don't know how long I've wanted to do this, Draco! To see you in my grasp!"

The person advanced and Draco recognized him as Harry Potter. A side of Harry he'd never seen before, and he had seen a lot of him!

Harry looked like a wet dream come true. His tousled black hair hung haphazardly around his face, highlighting his golden hue complexion and incredibly sparkling green eyes. He still wore his glasses, apparently because he wanted to see his prey squirm. His broad shoulders, chiseled pectorals and abs were bare for all to see. He was wearing a thong, which could not quite cover his considerable endowment. He turned around to lock the door and Draco was treated to the sight of his well-formed behind, just waiting to be held, explored and ploughed into. This broke the concentration Draco needed to make the wandless magic work and escape, although who would like to escape from such a captor as this?

Harry's lean, long legs appeared to be poised to take him far away. The thong was all he wore.

Draco wondered if this was only a Ministry plot to capture him and extract sensitive information, using someone Polyjuiced as Harry to draw him in. Then Harry went up to him and kissed him, and Draco had the answer: no one but his Harry could have that effect on him. Arousing him so while their tongues met and unabashedly clashed for supremacy, one finding victory that was quickly snatched away by the other. Harry's tongue drew him into his mouth and silently begged him to stay there.

An apparently restless Harry released him from the spell and Draco waited no time in taking off his clothes. Harry drooled as he saw the voluptuous sight before him: Draco's shock of white-blond hair, his striking grey eyes, the surprisingly long eyelashes, the chiseled features. He gaped at his well-muscled torso, shamefully skipping over the scars he had caused with that damned spell of Snape's; Draco's shapely legs and fine abs enticed him, and most of all, the nine inches of hard meat that seemed to occupy his fantasies quite a lot lately.

Draco sat on the edge of the bed and beckoned Harry in his demanding style. When Harry reached him, Draco touched his thong, rubbed his fingers and said salaciously, "Harry, you're all wet. You've been a naughty boy, what I am going to do with you?"

Harry had no time to respond, and he shuddered when Draco's long, thin fingers grabbed the sides of the thong and yanked it down, hard. Harry stepped aside and his cock casually touched Draco's cheek, leaving a trail of precum. It wasn't but a moment later when Harry felt a soft suction on his cockhead as it was swallowed by Draco.

Harry was in heaven. He had all he ever wanted at that moment. Draco's increasing suction had swallowed most of him, and his pubes rested against Draco's lips. The wetness and tightness were overwhelming him. As Draco began to bob up and down on his dick, Harry decided to stop him.

He tugged on his hair to make him stop. He said roughly, "Please stop, Draco. I want to come when you are inside me!"

Draco replied throatily, "Do you want to learn a new position, Harry?"  
Harry nodded dumbly. Draco, meanwhile, had located his wand and used it to _accio_ some lube. He replied, "Just face that direction and sit on me. I'll prepare you so you are ready."

Draco cast a charm on Harry's glasses, making them stick to his face temporarily, and then he conjured a mirror he put in the floor in front of Harry, the mirror faced upwards and showed the action in certain interesting areas.

Draco put his right arm around Harry, massaging lightly his wet cock and balls, and with his left hand, he scooped some lube and started circling Harry's puckered hole.

He teased Harry by only touching him slightly there, when it was plain to see that Harry wanted more. Finally he introduced completely one finger, and later another one. He ended with three fingers, moving them slow and easy, the squelching noises they heard were making Harry feel very wanton.

Harry moaned as he turned his face towards Draco and said brokenly, "Come on and fuck me already, Malfoy!"

Draco chuckled and used his hands to hold Harry's cheeks apart as Harry was penetrated. He continued in a conversational tone, "Look at the mirror, Harry! It shows how you look when you are getting filled. Notice the way your rim grows darker as it struggles to accept the heavy yoke within it. Notice how wet your cock glistens from your precum. You can see my large prick as it forces its way down the tight entrance, and you feel it in yourself when you are being stretched to the limit!"

Harry moaned as he clenched repeatedly, trying to stop Draco's tirade. The bloody git said all that with such nonchalance! The combination of the erotic words with the calm and collected tone of voice used to deliver them made him even hotter. Watching himself in the mirror was quite an experience. He felt as if he was going to go out of his mind at any second, the combination of the words, the sight and the feeling was indescribable.

Draco kept his erotic monologue, even though there were parts where he stopped to try to recuperate from Harry clenching around his cock.

After quite a while, the two wizards were ready to come. Harry came first, and his untouched cock squirmed on its own and deposited white streams along Harry's chest. They had ended up in the bed, in the missionary position, after Draco got tired of holding Harry aloft.

The feeling of Harry trying to milk him down was inexpressible for Draco, and he came soon after.  
This time it was Harry who cleaned them both, using the Elder wand. He got up and prepared to lie down next to Draco and enjoy some rest after their exercise, when the mirror said, "Good show, boy! Though I could show you a thing or two."

Harry blushed, thinking about destroying the nosy mirror. But that would mean 7 years of bad luck, wouldn't it?

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The next day Draco met Lucius at the Hog's Head. Draco had grown a little tired of Dumbledore's establishment by now, but he had no other choice.

Rosmerta would not accept him, or his father, and the thought of meeting Lucius at Madam Puddifoot's was… disturbing. Lucius and the golden cherubs would not mix at all.

So Draco prepared to hold a conversation with Aberforth. Despite being a Dumbledore, he'd found the man more aware of the world. Instead of expecting the best of everyone and having a hidden agenda like Albus, Aberforth was a decidedly pragmatic man. Hearing about what really happened to the Dumbledores was daunting, when heard free of Rita Skeeter's manipulations. He was also a good source for legends. He cheerfully told his tale of why he had named the tavern the Hog's Head, which was the same reason Hogwarts was called so.

Half an hour later, Lucius joined them. After shaking Dumbledore's hand, Lucius sat down and ordered a firewhisky. A perceptive Draco said, "I take it things are not going well, father?"

Lucius replied, "The turning point approaches. The decision to repudiate the Marriage Law has been approved by lesser courts. The battle is engaged now and the final solution will come in the House of Lords. To that effect, on Thursday the four of us, that is Jason, Justin, you and I, will render depositions in front of some Law Lords." Then Lucius cracked a smile, "Of course the rest of your motley crew will bear witness on Wednesday."

"Jason could not come this time because he is applying pressure to a Lord or two, and I, of course, am doing the same thing."

Then Draco asked the question that was uppermost in his mind, "Why did you not tell me the way the Map works? Can you do wandless too?"

Lucius smiled bitterly as he replied, "No, I cannot do wandless magic. It is a very elusive branch of magic. It requires access to something similar to what the Muggles call a meditative trance. The first few times are difficult to achieve, but it becomes increasingly easy if it is practiced."

"Achieving that first time is very complicated, though. Our Malfoy ancestors always prided themselves in their ability to be multilingual. I think they were looking for this result, without ever achieving it. I think the cornerstone in your case was Severus. Because he was enthused with German, he forced you to learn it. Together with the Latin languages you learned earlier, this quite different tongue allowed you to grasp a finer nuance of the meaning of words, the rules used in their creation and composition, how they mix."

"This provided the catalyst for the magical meditation. Without it nothing would've worked. I didn't tell you because the act of you finding it by yourself was sure to catapult you into the experience. If someone else had been guiding you, you would have had expectations, fear of failure, stress, which would not have been conducive to the meditation."

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On Thursday, after Minerva McGonagall had consented, the teenagers Apparated and met their parents on a side street near King's Cross.

Justin was smartly dressed in a dark blue Armani suit and Draco was wearing a knee-length dragon-leather jacket that looked smashing, at least according to Hannah and a smirking Terry. Jason bade the boys to hop into the car and they drove along, eager to give testimony and finally be rid of the damned Law once and for all. Narcissa and Antonia were there, too. They insisted in coming. Antonia tugged her ash-blond hair; she seemed to be unconsciously emulating her son. She smoothed her plaited skirt; Antonia also wore a white blouse and an iridescent shawl. Narcissa twirled a wand nervously; her beige Italian dress was exquisite yet simple. The ride was a little bit tense, and a fine drizzle had started to come down on the City.

When they were passing in front of the Tate Gallery, the car suddenly swerved hard to the left and entered a side street. Jason observed the rear view mirror as he cursed, "What the hell? Did you see that bastard? He was going to crash into us!" He opened the door and inspected the damage to the car, after making sure everyone was ok. Narcissa and Antonia shakily got out of the Mercedes. Justin and Draco followed, each trying to care for the ladies. Lucius got down on the passenger side and checked out his wand, ready for any danger.

They wanted to make their way to Parliament. They only had a mile and a half to walk, if they were lucky they would find a taxi. They didn't dare to be late. As they were approaching the end of the side street, Draco felt a dark shape move in among the larger shadows and had a hunch. He called to Justin and Narcissa, "Take out your wands!"

There wasn't time to say anything else as they were attacked by what seemed to be seven wizards. Justin protected his mother, and it could be seen that his time spent in the DA had been satisfactory. He defended himself with grace and verve, although the Light spells he used tended to put his enemies out of commission for only a few minutes.

Draco and Narcissa put on an energetic fight. After enduring Voldemort, everyone else seemed weak in comparison, and they effectively disarmed their first opponents and were now clashing with three of them.

Lucius fought with verve, brandishing his cane agilely. However, he could sense that his adversary wasn't really trying to hurt him, maybe test him and tire him out so his real target would be reached.

For Lucius's labyrinthine mind, it was easy to see who the target was: Jason Finch-Fletchley. The man was a linchpin of the forces opposing the Marriage Law. If he were taken captive or killed, those forces would suffer a severe blow. No one had a comparable political acumen or set of allies.

He also remembered the Jason he had come to know: sarcastic wit, yet refined, able to wield and play with politics just like Lucius. A man with a strong backbone who had invited him in a voyage of discovery of a world he had hated until recently.

The kind of man his own father, Abraxas, would not let him befriend, because it would "corrupt" his pure upbringing. The kind of man Voldemort had been intent on destroying, a Muggle who knew about the magical world and had a wizard son.

But to Lucius he was simply and foremost a friend. He'd had damned few friends to just stand by as one more was taken from him. And as Lucius watched a wizard raise his wand and direct a spell at Jason, knowing he was too late to prevent the casting, he did the one thing no one expected of him.

He stepped in front of Jason and intercepted the spell in the only way he had left. The spell hit him and as his mind swirled with the pain, he fell to the floor.

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Just when Draco felt they had won the battle, as he and Narcissa had downed their opponents and Justin his, he heard Narcissa gasp.

He turned and watched in horror as two wizards converged on Lucius and Jason. It was obvious that the real target of the wizards was Jason. Draco ran towards them, as fast as he could, but he was too late. He heard the spell being cast, "_Venenumsempra!_" saw the ray of light head towards Jason, and realized that at the last second, Lucius had intercepted the spell.

With a sinking feeling in his stomach, he saw Lucius go down and sink to the floor, unconscious.

Then he directed a ferocious Malfoy glare at his father's assailant and cast "_Incarcerous!"_ on the miscreant. He disarmed and bound the other as Narcissa rushed to Lucius's side and tenderly held his head in her lap.

Lucius came to with the scent of his wife all around him and thought that it was fitting that it should end this way. The drizzle of the rain, the drops forming a halo around his golden Narcissa, her soothing voice around him, the voice of his son near him.

Then he remembered what the attackers tried to accomplish and he wheezed, "Listen!... Justin, can you Apparate?" Justin nodded somberly.

Lucius continued, "Then take your father, do a Side-Along Apparition to Westminster. You know your way. Find the Law Lords and give your testimony. Go now!"

Justin said, "But what about mother?"

Narcissa interjected, "Antonia can come with us. I have a special portkey to St. Mungo's. She's welcome to stay with us until you come back. Lucius is right. The purpose of this attack was probably to stop you from testifying."

Jason said, "But what about your testimony, Draco, and Lucius? Wouldn't it be better if we just waited, until we see what happens?"

Draco replied, "Our statements are weak and nearly useless, Mr. Finch-Fletchley. Remember that we do not exist legally in their eyes. For those who know the Wizarding world, the word of a Malfoy is not worth much at all. Those are the cards we got, and the cards we have to deal with."

"Your word and Justin's are therefore doubly precious. Either side will listen to you, forced by tradition or cold facts. If we wait until father is cured, we may be too late for the testimony to affect the Lords."

Justin and Jason, after thinking things over, solemnly nodded their heads. Antonia went to stand next to Narcissa, her face showing apprehension.

Justin grabbed his father's arm and Apparated them away, into Westminster and hopefully near the place where the testimony would be heard by the Law Lords.

Narcissa took out a large key from her bag. It was the portkey she made for St. Mungo's.  
Everyone grabbed a small part of the key, including Antonia and an incoherent Lucius, and Narcissa muttered _Portus._ They were duly taken to the Wizarding hospital.

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After they arrived to the Emergency Ward, Lucius was taken to a private room and examined. A young Healer spoke with them. She said, "Hello, my name is Healer Sarah Bonafont. I'm in charge during this shift. Could you answer some questions for me?"

Healer Bonafont asked the particulars of the incident that brought Lucius to the hospital. They told him about the ambush, and Draco mentioned he heard the spell being cast, which was called _Venenumsempra_.

The Healer's face visibly darkened. Just then the Mediwizards doing the examinations came out of Lucius's room. Healer Bonafont joined them and they conferred a length of time. Finally Healer Bonafont returned, sat down and stated softly, "I'm afraid things are not looking up for your father, Mr. Malfoy. That is a very Dark spell. It creates a small quantity of venom and puts it in the body. The catch is that the venom cannot be taken out of the body, magically or physically, and it stays there and eventually grows forever. Or until the body dies. It is a truly devilish spell."

"We have done what we can. We've created stable conditions for Mr. Lucius Malfoy and have gotten rid of the pain. It's the best we can do right now."

Narcissa looked so frail and nervous. She looked the way she used to look when Voldemort was playing sport at the Manor. Draco hated seeing her suffer like that. He suggested that she and Antonia should go to the cafeteria and have some food.

Draco entered Lucius's room and sat down in the chair next to the bed. He observed the wan figure of his father and raged against fate that it had come to this. The venom could not be taken out magically or physically, what was left then?

It was at times like these that they needed Severus. His ability to remain calm no matter what was legendary. His care and love were enormous, if carefully hidden. Severus would probably upbraid him for not thinking enough, after having judiciously smacked him upside the head. Or he would hear Draco tell his tale of doom, and at the end with a raised eyebrow and a suggestion he would show the better way.

The Slytherin mused. The venom could not be taken out magically, but what did that mean? To most wizards it would be obvious that the poison would not react well to spells _cast by a wand_.

If this was true, then it might react well to wandless magic. But what process to use?

Draco thought long and hard about the purpose and modus operandi of the spell. Probably the poison was conjured directly into the body, and it was kept there by some kind of magically influenced gradient, so that it would not react well to physical or magical separation.

This would imply that they made the body more "_attractive_" to the poison. But, if suddenly there was another body nearby with more "_attractive_" qualities, the venom would try to migrate to the new body.

Draco needed some kind of sturdy barrier to stop the poison from reaching him, if he decided to attract the poison to himself. Now he could act like a good Gryffindor and ask for help from the staff, but it was unlikely they would react well to a Death Eater son's request. However if he acted like a sneaky Hufflepuff, he would notice that he already had a perfectly serviceable barrier in the form of his dragon leather jacket. He supposed it would stop most anything.

Draco locked the door, sat down on the chair, and wrapped the leather jacket around his upper body. He fell into a meditative trance idly comparing nouns with three genders, as opposed to having two. He hesitated a bit before finding the correct way to ensure that the wandless magic created in him a temporary gradient high enough to attract magically the poison. The mental effort was draining.

After fifteen minutes of this, he looked up to see his father's face. He still looked wan, but had a little more color to his face than before his attempt.

Draco took out his Hawthorne wand and unlocked the door. He was too tired to wait for his mother and Mrs. Finch-Fletchley, so he fell asleep.

And some hours later, all hell broke loose.

tbc


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer**: The world of Dune belongs to Frank Herbert and heirs, no profit is intended herein.

**November 12****th****, 1998**

**St. Mungo's**

Narcissa felt a small tear forming in her beige dress, probably from dodging the dark curses. So when they had hastily consumed some sandwiches in the cafeteria, she invited Antonia to go over to the Manor, so they could change into more comfortable clothes.

The blonde woman readily agreed, and Narcissa took out a portkey from her bag. It was a small paperweight, and as she and Antonia touched it, she murmured the password, '_mockingbird._' They were duly transported to the Manor.

Narcissa rapidly walked to their suite, Antonia trailing behind her. The exquisite marble stairs and floors, which looked resplendent to Antonia, seemed forlorn to Narcissa. She missed Lucius and thought it was so unfair that now, when he was starting to walk his own path, this should happen to him.

Narcissa choked back a sob and entered her wardrobe, motioning for Antonia to accompany her. "Just grab what you feel comfortable with; over there are the winter clothes. You have almost the same build as me, though thinner." Narcissa blinked back tears and continued, "I think you would look great in dark colors, like black or dark blue."

As Antonia found an ensemble of a dark green bodice with a large white skirt, Narcissa found a nice cerulean dress that Lucius had once bought her in Barcelona, in a flight of fancy unlike his usual self.

The memories of that day overwhelmed her and her walls came crumbling down. She started sobbing.

Antonia went to her side and delicately held her, as she said in comforting tones, "I'm here, Narcissa. Things will be all right, things will be fine."

Narcissa cried faster as she said, "You don't understand, Antonia, things will never be fine! People despise us for some of the things we've done, and maybe they are right! A year ago Jason and you would never have been our friends. How can you stand so close to one so dark?"

Antonia replied in a calm and warm voice, "All I see is the people we have become close friends with. An unruly blond teenager who likes to pretend he is the king of the world, but ends up doing the right things – mostly. Someone who's been great for Justin. These two blonds have become very good friends, and Justin does not trust people easily, so he must feel secure with your son."

"All I see is the woman I like to spend time with, planning our next shopping spree, speaking about the travails of being married to thoroughly political men. A friendly shoulder to rely on. I've never met a more devoted mother than you, and it warms my heart."

"All I see is the man in the hospital bed, the one who saved my Jason's life. Without Lucius there to put himself in harm's way, Jason would be dead. So we owe you a debt of honor. Now, we may not be up to par regarding all the magical rituals and traditions of these debts, but we do know enough to realize the great gift you have bestowed on us."

"You were bad once, so what! People change, and that change must be recognized and honored. My grandfather came back from World War II a completely changed man. He used to be so cocky and arrogant, according to grandmother, but after the war ended and he came back, he was contemplative, he led a rich inner life and married my mother, a girl he had once overlooked in his search for the next big thing."

"And it wouldn't surprise me if the Wizarding World treated you harshly! From what I've seen of that society, it sounds really harsh and feral, much more unfriendly and _backward _than ours!"

"You don't have to stay there and take their insults, you know. After the Marriage Law has been completely nullified, you and Lucius could move to our world. I've noticed that you and Lucius seem to use little magic, so it would not be a very big loss for you. Draco is grown up, and he would find his way. He would remain near you with this portkey thing you have."

Narcissa had stopped crying a while ago, and she hugged Antonia as she whispered, "Thanks, Tonia, I needed that."

With a sigh, the women changed their rumpled clothes, grabbed coats and robes, and portkeyed back to St. Mungo's.

After they arrived, Narcissa tried to order Antonia to stay in the suite the hospital provided to Malfoy guests. After Antonia adamantly refused, Narcissa used her Slytherin side and persuaded the other blonde that she needed to stay in shape when Justin and Jason returned. Finally Antonia was led to the suite and Narcissa entered Lucius's room.

She found Lucius looking considerably better, some color had returned to his cheeks and he appeared to be breathing evenly. She noticed Draco sleeping on a chair, tightly bundled in his dragon leather jacket. She took out her wand, flourished it and transformed the chair into a bed. She also took off her son's jacket. She noticed strange rips in the leather, which was odd considering that dragon leather was supposed to be impervious to everything.

Healer Sarah Bonafont entered the room; she came over and sat next to Narcissa, as she finished caring for Draco. Healer Bonafont started, "I have good news, Mrs. Malfoy. The latest check-up indicated that the toxin level had decreased considerably. We are now treating Mr. Malfoy so the residual venom is quickly eliminated from his body. We are baffled as to why this would be happening, considering that the spell caused permanent venom to flow in Mr. Malfoy's veins, and it could not be extracted by physical or magical means."

The Healer motioned towards Draco's once pristine jacket, and she concluded, "Although maybe we shouldn't look further into that. I wonder what is strong enough to ruin a perfectly good dragon leather jacket."

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During the night, the door was forcefully opened as Jason and Justin came in. The curly-haired men looked exhausted and nervous as they looked around the room, towards Lucius's bed, where a seemingly peaceful Lucius lay; towards Draco's bed, where an exhausted looking blond appeared to be wrestling dragons in his sleep, and towards Narcissa's couch, where the blonde had tucked her legs comfortably under her long skirt and appeared to be engrossed in reading a novel, next to a brightly lit sconce.

Narcissa answered their unspoken questions and told them about the Dark curse used on Lucius, how the Healers despaired of saving him. She told them that Antonia was doing ok in the Malfoy guest room in St. Mungo's. She also shared with them the delightful good news imparted by Healer Bonafont. She intimated that Draco had something to do with Lucius's well-being – witness his ruined jacket.

Before they started with their report, Justin came over to the sleeping Draco and poked him in the ribs. Draco mumbled something and kept wrestling the conjured blankets.

Justin was forced to use major weapons. He sat astride Draco and tickled him. The blond Slytherin woke up instantly and started laughing uncontrollably.

His mission having been fulfilled, Justin got off of Draco and stood next to his father.

Draco looked anxiously at his father, and then met his mother's eyes. Narcissa said softly, "Lucius is doing all right, Draco. The toxin has mostly left his body. The Healers will continue treatment for some days, two probably. He's fine, and I suppose it is thanks to you."

The Finch-Fletchleys thus reassured, they started explaining how their testimony had gone. Justin said, "We arrived just at the right place. An unused corridor in Westminster. Dad knew where we were, and he led us to the room where the Law Lords would question us."

Justin continued proudly, "The Law Lords took my father's testimony first. Of course he knows most of them. They treated him with respect. It was obvious from the questioning that most of the Lords knew about the Wizarding World, only a few did not know about us."

"Then I spoke. They wanted to know if I had accepted to be married to Daphne Greengrass. I told them most adamantly that I had not! I spoke about why we were just reduced to unfeeling dolls when such important decisions were taken from us, how our basic human rights and freedom were being grossly violated by the Wizarding World and its rulers."

Justin concluded, "The Law Lords maintained their poker faces, but I could see a bit of hesitation among some of them. They are carefully considering their case, and hopefully they will do what they think is best for the UK."

Draco smirked as he fell asleep; still exhausted from the magic he'd performed earlier.

Jason left to get something to eat at the cafeteria. Truth to tell, he was also curious about this Wizarding hospital and wanted to see more of it. Hopefully the people would be too interested in what they were doing to notice he was a Muggle and attack him.

Jason had been gone for a while and both Justin and Narcissa were beginning to doze off, when the doors were forcibly yanked open and three men garbed in the Auror uniform stepped into the room.

Two approached the sleeping Lucius and the third stood by the door, directing the others. "Go, Jameson and Smiley, grab that Death Eater and let's portkey to the Ministry."

Draco shouted stentorian, "I demand to know what is going on! What are you doing here? What do you think you are doing?"

The Auror in charge smiled maliciously as he said, "Here is the Malfoy cub! You see, lad, my name is John Flux and we're here to take this miscreant to a holding cell in the Ministry. The Death Eaters we questioned tonight told us Lucius Malfoy was the one directing them! Of course we will question the Death Eater right…. Ouch!"

Justin had unobtrusively taken out his wand, and it was him who had shouted the spell at that git and sent him crashing to the wall behind him. Justin drawled menacingly, "That man, Lucius Malfoy, saved my father's life. Why would he do that if he was directing the attack, according to your asinine theories? If you behave like pigs, you need pig's tails."

Justin flourished his wand with ease and the three surprised Aurors realized they were now sporting pig's tails. Draco made a mental note to never piss off a Hufflepuff that much. He also noticed how Justin was tugging on his curls as he hurled insults at the cowed Aurors.

"Don't you ever dare to come up with such hare-brained ideas and then hurt innocent people! I will file a complaint against you three, and I will follow up that complaint with a newspaper interview if necessary. You will not do such stupid things again! Now get out!"

The cowed Aurors left the room. Draco and Narcissa heaved sighs of relief. Five minutes later, the door opened and Jason Finch-Fletchley walked in. The curly-haired man was completely awed. He said, "You will never believe what I saw, teapots being turned into humans, people with body parts which are not in their proper position, and men sporting pig's tails!"

Justin, Draco and Narcissa laughed warmly. Justin said, "Dad, you missed all the fun!"

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On Saturday, Hermione stayed behind in the Library - although Ron wanted to go to Hogsmeade with her - so she could study further Ancient Runes. She had learned most of the Futhark Runes and could discern the motif interwoven by the Magical barons into Magna Carta: submission to the rules. Unsurprisingly, they were not as sharp as they thought they were and mixed up the runes' meanings. This led to a confusing stalemate. Where the original _geas_ or vow of obedience would favor only the magical barons, the conditions created appeared to favor the whole, so that the rule of law would be upheld no matter what.

Hermione looked up from her veritable tower of books she needed to consult and she noticed Harry and Lavender entering the Library. They appeared to be in a good mood and Harry briefly put his arms around Lavender's shoulders. The bushy-haired witch bristled at the display of affection. It wasn't that she hated Lavender; it was that she just wondered what Ron, Harry and even Draco saw in her. Draco even took the fact that Lavender was a pureblood in stride! Obviously he still thought he could influence her away from the people who would strip him of his estate through legal means – through the Marriage Law.

She observed from behind her shield of books as Harry and Lavender spoke quietly for some minutes. Then the uppity Lavender stood up and walked away, while Harry made it to Hermione's side.

Harry said softly with a smile in his voice, "I know you are behind that, Hermione. Who else could read so many books simultaneously?"

Hermione moved a tottering pile of books away so she could see Harry and replied, "Come sit by my side, Harry. I need your help."

After Harry sat down, eyeing distrustfully the towering piles of books, Hermione gave him a sheaf of parchment. She said, "I followed Draco's advice concerning my parents and I wrote a story about that. It is set in the Dune universe. I want your criticism, Harry."

Harry read carefully the story, noting the excellent way the prose flowed. After a while, he looked up and said, "It's wonderful, Hermione. It's written with your heart, as well it should be. It depicts the human struggle, with good prevailing at the end. It holds the readers' attention and will surely help you on your quest."

Hermione blushed hearing Harry's wonderful words. She asked slyly, "Why are you so friendly with Lavender, she is going to marry Draco, you know?"

Harry replied earnestly, "She does it in accord with the marriage law. She is a wonderful person, who fought with us since the beginning. She could be a good influence on Draco, if he allows it. We are all parts of the whole, and we must all play our roles."

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Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott were eating quietly at the Hufflepuff table. They missed Justin and Draco and hoped that everything had gone all right. They were interrupted by a regal owl, Draco's Osiris.

Hannah took the missive from the owl's leg and fed him a small cut of the steak she was eating. After he finished, he took off for the Owlery. Hannah opened her letter and read it.

She turned to Susan and explained that there had been an attack on both families when they were driving to Westminster. Lucius had been wounded but he appeared to be on the mend. Justin and his father had given their testimonies. Justin and Draco would be back in the afternoon.

After the meal, Harry approached them to ask about Draco. He'd noticed the regal eagle owl swooping down on the Hufflepuff table. Susan explained that Draco was away on some business with his father and he would return in the afternoon.

Harry was a little worried about Draco's absence. He asked Ron if he would fly with him to blow off some steam. After the Battle, Harry had been too stressed to care about Quidditch and therefore he did not participate in it. Something similar happened to Draco, so there was no heated Slytherin-Gryffindor rivalry to entertain the Houses this year.

Still, Harry liked to fly, so from time to time he coaxed Ron to accompany him and try some daredevil maneuvers. They flew for hours, although this time they cut the time short when Ron espied beneath him in the Quidditch pitch a figure he identified as Lavender.

Ron bid Harry adieu and descended to meet the buxom witch. The blonde hugged the redhead affectionately and they talked about their past, their lost friends and the future.

Ron said worriedly, "Are you sure you want to do this for the Cause, Lav? I am worried because I know how much of a git he is. All the time he spent torturing me with his insults, and he even tried to murder me!"

"If ever you need help before the fruition of the plan, come to me."

Lavender replied warmly, "I'm sure I know how to handle him, Ron-Ron! He has been very kind towards me, very understanding, not at all the monster you painted him to be."

Ron harrumphed and walked away, turning his face to look at Lavender one more time and saying, "Just remember, you know where I'm at!"

Lavender sighed. Ron was still a kid, still stuck in the concerns of the past, when the world was changing, had changed in fact, and it was not the same environment at all. It made her glad that she had kept her innermost thoughts to herself. '_I'm ashamed to be using Draco like this. If need be, I'll stand with the father of my future children.'_

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In St. Mungo's, Lucius finally woke up at around 3:00 PM. Narcissa wept with joy as she held Lucius. The elder Malfoy nodded at his son and the Finch-Fletchleys. Antonia had left shortly after 1:00 PM after being reassured by Narcissa that things were going ok. Justin Apparated his mother Side-along to their flat in London.

An exhausted Justin had come back, and with the help of Narcissa and Draco, had Flooed the Minister of Magic and encouraged – or demanded angrily - his help in handling the matter of his dad's car and the baseless accusations of the Aurors against Lucius.

So when Lucius woke up, they all related the events thus far. Draco even taunted his father, he said, "I didn't know you were such a Hufflepuff, father. I guess this time the Sorting Hat would put you into a House different than Slytherin!"

Lucius smirked fleetingly, and Draco had the sinking feeling that perhaps there would be retributions. He never knew with his father.

To transport Mr. Finch-Fletchley to his office, Draco clapped his hands and called for the house-elf Bisky. When she appeared with a pop sound, he told her to please take Mr. Finch-Fletchley to the place he wanted.

Jason grinned at Bisky and waved jauntily to his friends and his son as he disappeared with the house-elf.

Healer Sarah Bonafont knocked and entered. She gave some vials to Narcissa, indicating they were blood-purifying potions Lucius had to take for a week. Then she pronounced him fit to leave St. Mungo's. As she was leaving she turned to Draco and said, "And remember, Draco Malfoy, that you have a place in St. Mungo's if you want it. Your insight would be welcome here."

Draco puffed his chest as Narcissa and Lucius beamed proudly and Justin rolled unobtrusively his eyes.

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When Draco and Justin returned to Hogwarts, they had with them notes from their fathers explaining their absence. Luckily for them, Lucius had proposed that to avoid Detentions. When they arrived to the stairs, the Hufflepuff waved goodbye to Draco. The Slytherin went to his room, grabbed some books and made his way to the Kitchen, intent on having a good meal so as to be able to finish the hard Ancient Runes homework.

After he tickled the pear and entered, he ordered the elves to prepare him sumptuous sandwiches. A few minutes later the door opened and Harry walked in. Harry's hair looked as scruffy – and adorable – as always. He wore his pajama bottoms, which featured flying hippogriffs moving about, and a haphazardly thrown robe. Draco supposed that Harry had been tracking him with the Marauder's Map. When he asked what he was doing there, Harry replied nonchalantly, "Just passing the time. Where were you?" As he grabbed the other half of _his_ sandwich.

"Just helping my father with some things." Answered Draco vaguely to the bold sandwich-stealer.

Draco pointedly asked the elves to prepare for him _another_ sumptuous sandwich, which he gave to a surprised Harry.

Draco asked Harry to tell him about movies he'd seen, and what his favorite one was. Harry replied easily, "I love the Star Wars universe. I'm looking forward to watching the first in the new series, when the Republic begins to fail. I also like some drama. Generally I like action films, and don't like romance movies, unless it is a period piece."

Draco promised Harry that they would go to many movies together, or get to watch them at home, whatever suited their moods. Draco stole half a sandwich from Harry.

When the brunet man saw that, he raised an eyebrow and said, "I would have never been able to do that with the Dursleys."

"What, make a sandwich?"

"No, silly. I meant steal food. If the Dursleys had caught me, they would have thrown me into the cupboard for a week at least."

"A cupboard for a week, what do you mean, Harry?"

Harry explained that to punish him for certain supposed misdeeds, the Dursleys often locked him in the cupboard. Under Draco's relentless questions, he admitted that most of the times that was ok with him, because at least it kept them from the Dursleys; but sometimes, the darkness of the little room felt too constraining and he suffered mild claustrophobia.

Draco hugged Harry lightly as he felt a fierce protectiveness rise up in him at the thought of the Savior of the Wizarding World being left alone to fend off for himself in the company of such people. He was of a mind to go and catch these Dursleys and enact revenge, but he knew Harry wouldn't like that, and besides, they were his family.

Draco asked, "Do you suffer from claustrophobia, Harry?"

Harry bit his lip and replied, "No. Sometimes, though, the strangest feeling comes over me. I feel completely trapped, like I've lost movement, like a stone."

Draco replied, "If you ever feel like that, come to me, Harry!" The blond mentally swore to always look out for Harry, no matter what.

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Later Draco entered the Library and sat down next to a veritable worried-looking Hermione. She saw the smirking Slytherin and unobtrusively sighed in relief. She took out her sheaf of parchments and passed it on to him. She said as sweetly as she could, "Would you please read that and give me your honest comments? It's the story you wanted me to write, trying to entice my parents into my life again. I've already received the criticisms of Harry and Ginny."

Draco snorted and replied, "Let me guess what they said. Harry thought the story was inspiring, original, uplifting and great. Ginny thought that the men were let off scot free, they weren't punished enough for our vindictive Ginny."

Hermione gasped, "How did you know? It was not exactly like that, but very similar."

"I just know them very well. I'll read your story, which I see is quaintly titled: 'Princess in distress.'"

After an hour, Hermione nervously watched as Draco finished the last parchment. He sat up, rubbed his eyes and said, "Do you want my honest criticism, Hermione?"

Hermione nodded. The blond continued, "The language flows beautifully, there is a consistently good quality in the writing. The grammar is perfect. However, there are some things that disturb me, like the fact that you have the princess smuggle her parents out of Arrakis, also known as Dune. They hide aboard a Guild ship orbiting Dune and they meet some thugs. The princess, whose name is Irulan and not Mirulan, by the way, faces _all ten of them_ and wins, after slapping the chief thug."

"Excuse me if I say this is just a little… unbelievable."

"You are writing for your mother and father. You will not catch them using these plots, but rather attracting their curiosity. Make it subtle; make the princess have a hidden signaling device and get hold of some friends and together, they take on the thugs. Make it believable, and you can lead your parents where you want them, towards you."

Hermione said, "You make it sound as if I have to seduce them."

Draco replied, "It is a seduction of the mind. You have to establish and develop the common grounds you have with them. You have to make them want to know you more."

"You would not believe how easy – or hard - it is to seduce someone. It's a craft that the most ambitious wizards have honed to perfection, like Voldemort, Grindelwald and others."

"Draco, you sound admiring!"

"I'm not, Hermione. I've lived most of my life under the thrall of Voldemort, so I know how deep his seduction schemes go. Believe me, it is a hellish situation to be offered something you desperately want in return for doing something odious."

"Like saving my parents' lives in return for launching the attack on Dumbledore."

"What I can tell you, Hermione, is to be aware of seduction. Don't let things guide you where you don't want to go."

tbc


	13. Chapter 13

**November 20th, 1998  
Hogwarts**

Harry met Draco for some sparring in the Room of Requirement. Harry had improved considerably since he began dealing with Dark magic, and Draco had turned out to be quite a nice teacher, patient and understanding, not at all like the harsh Severus Snape.

While Harry was woolgathering about the dark and imposing Potions Master, he was hit from behind with a Dark spell that could break through his Protego shield. His sight began to dim and he started to get weak. Draco knelt down next to him and quickly reversed the spell. He took out a strengthening potion from his belt pouch and asked Harry to drink it.

Draco said, "Your concentration wavered, Harry, and you weren't able to keep up the shield's integrity for long. The spell I cast was able to pass through the weakened shield. As in most magic, the strength of the shield depends on the intent used in casting it."

"You need to get focused and keep that focus intact. You were doing very well with your other defenses. There are some new spells I want to teach you, but we'll do them later. Right now you need to recover from the last one."

Draco accio'd some butterbeers, then he sat down on the floor next to Harry and said nonchalantly, "Sometimes I wish I had done things differently, said things a certain way, especially to certain persons. I never got to say goodbye to Severus, for example. We lived under the constant threat of war, yet I thought things would go on the same."

"Without Severus, I don't know what I would have done last year. He was the one who gave me the Serpent's Map."

Harry asked interestedly, "The what Map?"

"The Serpent's Map. It is a drawing depicting Hogwarts. It can only be activated by Malfoy, Black or Snape blood. One summer day in 1975 mom and Severus were discussing it when they were overheard by a small rodent called Wormtail, who promptly informed your father and the other Marauders."

"Not to be outdone, they developed the Marauder's Map. Sev's Map didn't come to fruition until years later, when he was inspired by magical distillation."

Draco sipped his butterbeer and grimaced as he continued, "Of course, dear Severus did not see fit to give me the Map until last year! It wasn't fun at all! Still, it came in handy against the Carrows."

Harry was musing about this new twist to the tale of the Marauder's Map. He cracked a smile as he pictured his father, Remus and Sirius cavorting as they plotted to finish the Map and succeeded against the Slytherins.

Harry also thought about Draco's comment concerning last words, and he remembered sadly the last time he had spoken at length with Remus, and the great row they had. It wasn't fair that they did not have enough time to mend their friendship before Remus was killed! Then he remembered the pointless deaths of Tonks and Sirius, and he became sad.

Draco noticed Harry's pensive look and tried to distract him by asking in a drawling voice, "How many children do you want to have, Harry?"

Harry blinked and responded somewhat shyly, "I'd like three children: two boys and a girl. I would name them James and Lily, in honor of my parents, and the last one Sirius, to honor my godfather." Harry's voice almost broke at the end, but gathering strength, he plodded on, "What about you, Draco?"

Draco sighed wistfully and responded, "I would like one boy, to continue the Malfoy line. As befits a Black and Malfoy, he would be named after a celestial constellation, and he would be called Scorpius."

Harry asked incredulous, "You only want one child?"

Draco snorted and replied loftily, "Believe me, one Malfoy child is enough to raise! It's only recently that I've recognized how trying my upbringing must have been – when considered from the viewpoint of my parents. I think with one child I'd have enough! Still, there are times I wonder what life would have been like if I had had siblings. Mother couldn't have any other children after me, you know."

"It would have been nice to have siblings when things turned sour and I was fighting to keep the family alive during last year. I could have used their strength, or maybe, I would have been even more beset with worry when I considered them all. We'll never know."

Harry asked, "Do you want to go to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow?"  
Draco replied sarcastically, "But you wouldn't want your friends to know we're together, would you?"

"Most of my friends know we're together, Draco. Hermione has divined our relationship, as she knows most everything. She stares mockingly at me from time to time, but she's ok with us."

"Ginny has also seen through the façade and she approves wholeheartedly. Apparently she's happy because I chose you and not someone like Justin Finch-Fletchley."

"That leaves Ron, and frankly, I will not live my life according to his dictates. He can approve or disapprove; he's only a friend, not my father."  
Draco smirked, thinking about the Weasel's face when he found out about them. Then he said, "Harry, I can't go to the Three Broomsticks, we'll have to go to Madam Puddifoot's again."

Harry grimaced, thinking about the horrible cherubs all over the place. He said, "Leave Madam Rosmerta to me, Draco. She will accept you, I promise as a Gryffindor."

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Ginny was walking to the Quidditch pitch when a sleek barn owl came up to her, perched on her shoulder and offered his leg, so Ginny could untie the letter. Ginny did that and then fished around her pockets for an owl treat. Unfortunately she knew firsthand how irate owls could get when facing uncaring masters. Ginny gave the owl his treat, noticing how bright his eyes were. They reminded him of Harry somehow.

She untied the parchment and read:

_Dear Ginny,_

_I hope this letter finds you well. Things here are going as smoothly as always (which is to say, boring). I'm so bored I want to scream. I remember the fun time we had at Hogwarts and would like to see you again, if you want._

_I'm inviting you to our manor in the West Midlands for next weekend. Daphne will come too, so she can lead you here, you could invite Susan Bones and the brunette too, her name was Anna Botts or something. I'm sure we'll have lots of fun._

_Astoria_ _Greengrass_

Ginny snorted as she folded the parchment and put it in her pocket. Anna Botts? Wait till Hannah hears that, she'll be enraged. Thinking about it, it would be nice to have a weekend just for the ladies. They could let their hair down and talk about anything they wanted. She would invite Hermione too, and they'd have a great time in the West Midlands!

On Saturday, Harry and Draco made their way to the Three Broomsticks. Harry entered first and talked to Madam Rosmerta for a good while, approximately ten minutes. Then he opened the door and motioned for Draco to come in. The hesitant blond took a few steps. Madam Rosmerta nodded curtly in his direction, and then took off to the kitchen.

Apparently Harry had been true to his words and had convinced Rosmerta. Draco wondered how he did it.

They ordered butterbeer and started a relaxed conversation. Susan Bones and Hannah Abbot came a little later. Hannah was accompanied by Dean Thomas, who just nodded at them, he was used to seeing Harry and Draco together.

The group started talking about Quidditch, whereupon Hannah harrumphed and nursed her butterbeer as if it were the last thing in the world. Dean argued that Gryffindor would win the Cup, Draco disagreed and Harry contradicted both ferociously.

Harry said, "Now that the spotlight is off the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams, I predict a team with an ingrained sense of devotion and hard work will win. I'd put my bet on either Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff winning the Cup. My personal wish is that Hufflepuff wins. They have had a stream of rather decent players. Unfortunately, since Cedric Diggory died, they haven't had an outstanding Seeker. Maybe this will change this season."

A Sixth Year Slytherin interrupted them as he bent down and kissed Susan. Robert Lehmke's brown eyes twinkled as he said, "I must concur with Harry. The Gryffindors and Slytherins have no chance, since they lost their star Seekers. It's a year for new things, new combinations never seen before. It's the year for Hufflepuff to shine!"

Susan moved aside so Robert could get a seat edgewise. She said, "You speak so well, Robert. I wish you were our Quidditch commentator, instead of the usual louts they use, like Lee Jordan, or Zacharias Smith, or even Luna Lovegood."

Hannah coughed and added sarcastically, "Haven't you read the memo, Susan? Those jerks were used because McGonagall knew they shared one of her obsessions: they disliked Slytherins."  
Just then, a beet red Zacharias Smith approached them and demanded loudly, "Hannah, get away from that git! How can you betray me like this, when we are about to get married!"

Hannah stood up and twirled her wand dangerously. She said incensed, "Give me one reason I should not hex you, Smith! That Law is a mockery and won't hold up! I immensely dislike you and do not want to even look at you!"

Smith replied haughtily, "The Law will pass and stand. You will be my wife. I have no doubt of this."  
Then Hannah cast an _Immobulus _and _Silencio_ on the blond git and they all left him lying on the floor.

They returned to their butterbeers, and Draco was holding Harry close, almost in an embrace.

Suddenly Harry stood up and went to the door. Later, Draco could hear murmured words, Ron Weasley appeared to be chastising Harry. He could hear Harry using a conciliatory tone of voice and the Weasel getting increasingly irate. Finally Weasley shouted, "Are you sure, Harry? Think what this will do to your p…."

Noticing the sudden silence, Draco snorted, Harry had used _Silencio_ on the Weasel! This was too rich!

Harry whispered to Ron, "We will conclude this in a safe location, Ron. But you are neither my keeper nor my father, you are just my friend!"  
After some minutes, Weasley finally calmed down, Harry lifted the spell and Ron left precipitously the Three Broomsticks. Smith was still on the floor.

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On November 25th, Draco was walking towards the Room of Requirement. He and his friends would use it so they would be together when they heard the final news about the Marriage Law's possible demise.

He was so intent on getting there that he did not notice the small shadow following him. The shadow was about to overtake him when it spoke, "You have failed me, Malfoy."

Draco quickly looked around and noticed the meager bulk of his Slytherin housemate, Elias Flint. He looked more gaunt than usual. He had dark rings under his eyes and he appeared to be on the edge of a breakdown.

Draco answered calmly, "I asked my solicitors to look into your family's affairs, Elias. I'm afraid Marcus and his father were full Death Eaters. There were no options to set them free. Even if there were, they would just spend their free time conspiring with other surviving Death Eaters and imperiling our society."

"I've talked to the solicitors about putting up a trust fund with some monies that were left to you." This was only partly true, because the funds came from Draco, but Elias didn't need to know that.

"You'll have enough to get a head start and begin anew. You must look forward and think about the future, it's what a sane relative would want you to do."

"And for Merlin's sake, eat more so you can look more like a human being!"  
Draco continued and made it to the Room. The others were anxiously waiting for him. Draco paced to and fro in front of the ballet-dancing trolls and the door presently appeared.

The decoration of the room was stark simplicity. Black and white colors, grey couches, mahogany tables, sprinkled liberally with white cushions.

Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott frowned, feeling full of apprehension. Terry and Hermione were looking hungrily at the books on the table. Ginny sat apart, nervously biting her nails.

Justin paced to and fro, occasionally picking up a cushion and throwing it into another couch. Draco sat down in one of the couches and calmly took out the Serpent's Map, checking to see if they were free of intruders.

Finally Hannah could take no more of the unwanted silence and asked, clearly annoyed, "Can someone tell me what is the significance of today's decision?"

Justin replied, "Today takes place the final vote on whether the Marriage Law is valid or not in the United Kingdom. First we recognized – or Draco and Lucius did at any rate – that to seek succor against the Law by turning to the Ministry would be a huge mistake. The Ministry views itself as omniscient, sacrosanct. It would not review a decision it had made even when it was clearly wrong, as they proved with Sirius Black's unlawful punishment in Azkaban, _without trial_, and later by having that mockery of a trial affecting Harry Potter when he escaped the Dementors' attack in Little Whinging."

"We were faced with that monolithic block of power, together with the realization that the wizards wanted the Marriage Law approved by the Commons so it becomes metalaw and thus binds us completely. Our fathers decided to pursue the struggle in a different, unexpected way. First they slowly and silently chipped away at the Law, preventing that the Commons passed the Marriage Law, which was worded in such a way as to suggest it would regulate the breeding of pureblood horses."

Draco took up the tale, "The first round having been won, we proceeded with the second. Jason Finch-Fletchley and my father decided to complain to the Director of Public Prosecutions about the human rights abuse being perpetrated against the Muggleborns and halfbloods party to the forced marriages. Unfortunately for Purebloods, since we do not legally exist in the Muggle world, we can hardly appear out of nowhere and ask for our rights as British subjects. The halfbloods and Muggleborns, though, are British subjects and can apply for help."

"Needless to say, we succeeded. The judge ruled the Law did not comply with Article 8 and 12 of the _European Convention on Human Rights_, incorporated into domestic UK law by the _Human Rights Act 1998_. We won a resounding victory."

Justin continued as he tugged lightly at his blond curls, "Still the Muggle Government decided to keep on fighting, doubtlessly spurned by the Ministry. They complained against this decision and the judgment was taken to a higher court. So it went for a while."

"Today is important because the highest court in the land gives its verdict. After this there can be no doubt about who won. In the House of Lords, under the Lord Chancellor, the Lords Spiritual and the Lords Temporal will vote, sealing the fate of the Marriage Law. That's why we are together. My father and Lucius are at the House of Lords right now, and dad will phone me and tell me the news."

Hermione interjected, "But phones do not work at Hogwarts!"

Draco smirked and answered nonchalantly, "Exactly, Hermione, that's why when I paced in front of the door I asked for a Room where electricity would work!"

Justin continued, glaring at the blond and brunette, "Dad thinks we will have the advantage, that is, unless the Lords Magical decide to make an appearance!"  
This time, Robert interrupted, "Lords Magical, who are them?"

Draco answered, "As you know, among the barons at Runnymede there were wizards. They continued holding positions of importance in the government until they seceded from mainstream Britain and founded the Wizarding World, after the witch hunts. They were the part of the House of Lords called 'Lords Magical.'"

"They can return to Parliament if they think the time demands it. The thing is, if they do that, the secret of the Wizarding World is lost and we will be completely known to the Muggles. Mr. Finch-Fletchley is of the opinion that they wouldn't dare to do this, to blow the secret. Father, though, is worried that the Ministry has gone completely crazy and they might be the kind to pull this stunt, damning all of us to hell and back! It's all a game of brinksmanship for them."

Hermione offered this commentary: "Draco, I don't think they will risk the secret of the Wizarding World for this Law, even if it gives them power and riches."

Hermione asked worriedly, "Let's suppose we win, and the Ministry still decides to go ahead with the Marriages, what then?"

Draco answered, "Hermione, you know more than anyone else how strong were the Runes used on Magna Carta. The barons, seeking to control everyone, literally changed their world. The _geas_, the obedience vow, remains strong even after nearly 800 years. It demands compliance to the common will as expressed in the deliberations of Parliament."

"It is relentless, like the pull of the moon that causes the tides. Unseen yet directing all under the sun. If the Ministry decides to disobey Parliament's will regarding the Muggleborns and halfbloods, they will break the _geas_ and suffer the consequences. Furthermore, even magic itself must bend to the _geas_. There's no way around it."

Then a clear ringing sound was heard and everybody jumped. Justin nervously laughed as he took out his cell phone, opened it and received his father's call. His eyes widened and he couldn't help but smile broadly. After Jason finished and Justin said goodbye, the blond put the phone in his robe's pockets and beamed, saying, "Dad has just told me the final tally; the Marriage Law is defeated at last! The argument that it contravened our basic human rights won the day! The Lords Magical dared not show up and destroy the Wizarding World!"

Justin hugged Draco and said, "We did it, Draco! We won against all those spineless manipulators!"

Draco answered as he hugged Justin back, "Indeed, my friend, indeed. Now what will you do regarding Daphne?" Draco mock-glared at Justin.

"Well, I'm going to woo her as if my life depended on it, of course."

Hannah hugged Susan fiercely as she muttered; "Now you are rid of that git, Etienne Zabini!"  
Susan commented, "And you are finally rid of that git Smith. Just picture his face as he realizes this, precious!"

Hermione hugged Terry and she murmured to the brunet Ravenclaw, "You don't have to marry Anastasia Warbeck anymore."  
Terry nodded in good humor and said, "I was beginning to think she wasn't that old anyway."

Hermione smacked him upside the head and turned to hug Ginny, who was standing up next to her. She whispered, "Now you don't have to marry Harry if you don't want to."  
Ginny replied quietly, "I don't know what I want, Mione, but now I have time to figure it out. By the way, you are invited to spend a weekend at the Greengrasses. Susan, Hannah and Daphne are going, too."

The next day, the gang was amiably having breakfast when the shapes of the owls bearing the mail appeared above them, and swooped down on them. Draco was eating at the Slytherin table, seated between Harry and Justin. The Slytherins left them alone, because they knew that if they heckled them, an enraged Draco would be upon them.

Elias Flint sat morosely at the end of the table, desperately trying to eat more. He was somewhat comforted by Draco's words, but he wanted desperately to help his family.

Susan and Hannah, together with Robert Lehmke, Terry Boot and Dean Thomas, were excitedly discussing something. By the bored look in Susan's and Hannah's faces it could be deduced that the subject of their talk was Quidditch.  
Hermione and Ginny sat at the Gryffindor table, near a sullen Ron.

The owls delivered the mail and the _Daily Prophet_. After putting the corresponding coins in the owl's pouch, Hermione noticed how Draco's face became suddenly paler. Draco brought the paper to Justin's attention, and as the Hufflepuff read the news, he tugged at his curls in frustration.

Hermione decided to read her paper:

_**Dastardly Muggles dare tamper with the Wizarding World**_

_Yesterday, the Muggle House of Lords dared to invade what is a Wizarding prerogative and decided that the carefully constructed Marriage Law oppressed basic human rights embedded in Muggle laws._

_The Lords upheld thus a lesser court's ruling and declared the Marriage Law null and void. This is just another example of Muggle encroachment, against which we must remain ever vigilant, especially considering the past which included witch hunts._

_The Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, has vowed to uphold the Marriage Law the way his magical office demands it. Preparations for the marriages will continue, the penalties for not complying will remain the same._

_Reporter  
Rita Skeeter_

Hermione felt her composure crack a little, she was so mad! If she had Skeeter in front of her, she would transform the bothersome witch into a beetle and she would hold her in a can forever! Perhaps it would be better to feed the beetle to Crookshanks!  
She looked to Draco, who was trying to calm Justin down. Draco glanced at her and then at her side, surreptitiously lifting one eyebrow.

Curious, Hermione turned to look at what Draco found so entrancing. She found Ron and Seamus reading the paper. She couldn't help but see how Ron looked first very angry, and then, after having some words with Seamus, he calmed down and even smiled like the cat that got the canary.

Hermione heard a noise coming from the Hufflepuff table and she turned to look at the results of an argument between a bossy Zacharias Smith and an enraged Hannah Abbott. The Hufflepuff sported donkey's ears and when McGonagall ordered Hannah to turn his ears back to normal, Hannah refused, saying she would do it only when he stopped behaving like a donkey.

tbc


	14. Chapter 14

**Warning:** Slash

**November 28th, 1998  
London**

In a pub in Piccadilly Circus, Jason Finch-Fletchley arrived to meet Lucius Malfoy. The curly-haired man noticed that Lucius was dressed up to the nines; however he was following the fashion of the 80's, not the late 90's. Obviously Jason had important lessons to impart, like how to dress properly among Muggles, what interesting movies to watch, which cricket matches to attend, which soccer team to follow, and so on.

He hoped Lucius would be agreeable to that. He also wanted to learn about the Wizarding World, its strange culture and creatures, its history and struggles.

Lucius shook Jason's hand and sat down, indicating with a flourish his impressive – and outdated – Armani suit. They ordered their beers and then Lucius said, "I take it you have received communication from Justin."

Jason replied, drawling lazily, "Yes, he told me about that rubbish the _Daily Prophet_ printed. According to them, we are intent on destroying the Wizarding World's great traditions! As if we cared about them, as if we knew!"

Lucius answered, "My son tells me they continue with their plans to implement the Marriage Law. Parliament has been very clear that its voice is not that of the Marriage Law supporters, in fact, the Law Lords deemed that Law unworthy of being implemented. If they continue to work for the Marriage Law, they will soon find out the strictures of the _geas."_

Jason replied, baffled, "Can you tell me what is this _geas_ that you talk about? I don't have a very clear concept of it."

Lucius sipped his lager and answered, "Put simply, it is a huge stricture laid upon the land and all who dwell on it. It's like a giant Obedience Vow. The people can't break the vow because doing so will cause them harm, often killing them. It can last centuries. We speculate that among the barons who prepared the Magna Carta, some wanted to lay a _geas _upon England so they would rule. Fortunately they used the wrong runes in Magna Carta and arrived to a situation where the _geas _was a stabilizing element, signifying the adherence to the Law of the realm, rather than a group of people."

"The Ministry denying the stated will of Parliament is a dangerous affair – for them."

Jason took a sip from his bitter and said, "If they intend to continue these marriages, I have to talk and get the Queen's Bench to act. They will certainly issue an order to stop their unlawful intent."

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In Hogwarts on Saturday morning, Hermione was trying frantically to finish all her homework before she went to Daphne's. She was almost there when she was interrupted by a drawling voice that said, "Busy much, Hermione?"

Hermione looked up to see Malfoy's smirking visage and had an idea. She took out a sheaf of parchments and passed it over to Draco, saying "After your helpful comments, I decided I would not write about Dune, but rather about my favorite universe, David Brin's Uplift series."

"Mom and Dad liked the books, so I've started a story there. Want to check it?"

Draco took out the parchments with care, and started reading them, commenting haphazardly, "Terry only has three books by this author, so I don't know if I can offer helpful ideas."

Hermione smirked to herself and said, "You will, Draco, you will."  
After an hour, Draco looked up from the parchment and commented, "Very well done, Hermione. The characters were fully realized human beings – or dolphins in the case of Hikashi. The action is intriguing and the plot wondrous. But how will you entice your parents?"

Hermione laughed softly and said, "I sometimes use phrases they loved, about adhering strictly to free will, the consequences of decisions, the power of love, the _dangers_ of love. I'm sure that if they read it, it will call to them."

Draco widened his eyes as he said, "I'm impressed, Hermione, you showed clear _Fingerspitzengefühl_."

Hermione replied, "Tact, Draco? I sure hope so."  
Draco suddenly glanced calculatingly at Hermione and asked, "How many languages do you speak, Granger?"

"Only three, German, French and English. My mother always wanted me to learn Italian, but I refused stubbornly. I wish I had listened to her!"

Draco steepled his fingers as he considered how to entice Hermione into taking the leap of faith he had. She'd be able to perform wandless magic, but most importantly, this would brush up her _Occlumency_ defense very much, and he had a feeling they were going to need that very soon.

Deciding to be straightforward, Draco said, "Would you like to maximize your Occlumency, Hermione?"

Hermione nodded. Draco continued, "I can keep teaching you like Aunt Bella taught me." He stopped when he saw Hermione recoil in horror and he chastised himself for forgetting that Bella had tortured Hermione in Malfoy Manor. He decided to be more Slytherin in his approach.

He continued, "But there is a better way. A shortcut, if you will, that will help you tremendously with _Occlumency_."

"As you go with Daphne and the girls, I want you to meditate on this question: What's in a name?"  
"Surely a girl with your talent can discern the meaning of this question."

Draco left and Hermione was deep in thought. She eventually finished her homework and exited the Library. On her way to the Great Hall, she could see a crying Teddy held by a smirking, gloating Andromeda Tonks. Hermione grimaced as she imagined a scene where the former Andromeda Black snubbed again her nephew Draco Malfoy. She even suspected Andromeda came to Hogwarts not so much to get Teddy's medicines, but to humiliate and exacerbate Draco more.

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Harry knocked on the Head Boy's door and it opened, revealing Justin Finch-Fletchley wearing his uniform, with the Head Boy badge. Harry entered and sat by a chair near a window.

Justin offered him some Pumpkin juice, and they started talking. Harry found it easy talking to the Hufflepuff. He was not as opinionated as Ron or Seamus, nor as athletically-minded as Dean. He could easily see how he would be a good friend of Draco's.

Justin asked Harry questions about the War, and Harry responded truthfully, evading only the issue of the horcruxes and calling them euphemistically 'weapons of Voldemort to return from the dead.' He related his adventure with his parents and godparent as they walked with him to the last Voldemort-Harry showdown.

He recalled Narcissa's actions when she asked about Draco, and after hearing he was alive, boldly lied to Voldemort in front of his Death Eaters and told him Harry was dead.

Justin sipped his juice and tipped the glass to Harry. He said, "I hope your wishes come true, Harry."

Harry asked Justin for a favor. He said, "I know that in our graduation you will be the last featured speaker. I would love it if you would consider giving me that honor. I'd like to give the last speech of our generation."

Justin replied immediately, "Sure, Harry. I'll make sure to let the Headmistress and other authorities know."

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Narcissa waved jauntily at Antonia as the blonde woman drove away from the doors of St. Othilde's Orphanage. It had become a weekly routine. They talked about the situation concerning magical children and what could be done to help them and later Antonia drove her to the Orphanage.

Narcissa had made several donations to St. Othilde's. She opened the gate to the Orphanage and went in. It was an austere place, though there were touches of color here and there.

The blond talked a little with Mrs. Reese, the person in charge of new adoptions. What she heard disturbed and enraged her greatly.

As a result of her abuse, Miriam was a withdrawn child. Still, several couples had expressed interest in adopting her until they met her and realized that she was not a bubbly child, ready to smile at the drop of a hat.

Those people then decided to have nothing to do with Miriam. It was infuriating!

Narcissa made her way to Miriam's room and entered. She stomped in, until she realized Miriam was looking at her strangely. The little girl raised inquisitive blue eyes at her and Narcissa knew she had to give a good example. She primly sat on a chair next to Miriam's bed and said, "Do you remember last time we talked about the silver dragon that dressed up as a bear and was shot down from the sky?"

"Well, today I want to tell you about my son, Draconis, and the time he inadvertently hexed us so badly he made our skins become an ugly orange color and we had to stay indoors for a while."

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Hermione joined Susan and Hannah in front of the school. Susan was telling them that she'd gotten McGonagall to agree to their visit. They would spend the night at Daphne's and Astoria's and they would return on Sunday evening.

Susan wore a smart lavender dress; she had low-heeled shoes. Hannah was dressed a bit more stylishly, with a dark blue knee-length skirt and an organdy blouse.  
Hermione felt a little out of place with her school uniform and her plain shoes.

Ginny Weasley soon joined them. She was wearing a beige dress that complimented her tan nicely. She also wore low-heeled shoes and had a small bag, as did the other girls, to carry their overnight clothes.

Daphne arrived a little later. She was wearing a white blouse and dark green slacks. She had in her hand a small wheel, which she presented as the portkey to her house. Each girl touched the portkey and Daphne intoned "_Portocarrero!"_ They felt the pull in their navels as the portkey deposited them in Daphne's home in the West Midlands.

They were attacked by a blonde figure who turned out to be Astoria Greengrass. The younger Greengrass sister was resplendent in a blue frilly blouse, combined with white slacks and sandals.

Astoria greeted them and said, "I've been waiting for you all week! I thought I was going crazy! Now that you are here, let's hit the spa in the neighboring town. You've got to have the complete process! Don't worry about the costs, just tell the people to put it in our tab."

Talking a mile a minute, Astoria effectively broke down whatever reservations they might have had, especially when Ginny joined her, saying, "I've never had a treatment like that! I want to know what all the excitement is about. Come on!"

Finally they made their way to the town. Astoria and Ginny were leading the other witches.

Astoria glanced covertly at Ginny's wholesome appearance; her beige dress looked nice on her tanned body. The blonde knew something about temperamental individuals, being a good friend of Draco's and also the sister of Daphne. So she said nothing and waited for the outburst she felt was coming.

Ginny said, "I don't like it, Toria! I feel like the Marriage Law is losing, but Harry remains a very strong presence in my life. Am I fated to marry him after all?"

Astoria replied, briefly holding Ginny's hand, "I don't know, Ginny. I don't know the future, I imagine he casts an awesome shadow in there, but it doesn't have to mean that he is all the future you have. You still have your friends and your family."

Ginny turned to look at Astoria, her slim figure accentuated by the slacks and blouse. She looked at Astoria's crystal clear blue eyes, her Grecian profile and her wide cheekbones.

Her pulse accelerated, and then they were interrupted by Susan and Hannah walking alongside them. The Hufflepuffs started a game in which they pretended they were discussing Quidditch teams.

So the Hogwarts students and Astoria went to the town's spa and they had the treatment. They were cared for, groomed, their faces cleaned of any imperfections, had manicures and pedicures, and generally they thought it was a very relaxing experience.

When they got back to the house, it was near twilight. They donned their pajamas and settled down to watch some movies Mrs. Greengrass had provided for them. They were undecided about which movie to watch. Hermione and Susan wanted something cuddly and romantic, Ginny and Hannah wanted bloodthirsty action films, and Daphne and Astoria wanted a Disney movie!

They finally decided to watch "Big" after some judicious arm-twisting. They nagged Susan a lot to get the popcorn; she got up and went to the kitchen. She grabbed the popcorn bag, she simply waved her wand and the popcorn appeared in the bowls, she added the butter and put them in the oven. Finally Susan returned with the food.

Susan asked coyly, "How are things going with the soccer player, Hannah?"  
Hannah blushed as she answered, "Things are going great with Dean. He invited me to visit him during Easter break."

Daphne said, "Congrats, Hannah! How is that Slytherin treating you, Susan?"

"You mean Robert? We are doing very well. He's still interested in getting a scholarship to Harvard, although I'm not sure how he can pass the entrance exam, even with magic."

Susan asked slyly, "And how does a certain Hufflepuff treat you, Daphne?"

"He's wonderful! Next weekend we are going to his family's estate to meet his parents, Jason and Antonia Finch-Fletchley. I can never get over how wonderful he is, how I love to run my hands through his curly hair."

Susan directed her searching gaze to Ginny and asked, "How about you, Gin? How is life treating you?"  
Ginny replied, "Life is good, if only superficially. We are at peace, and the Marriage Law is in deep trouble. Hopefully we'll be able to rebuild our life and go on. With the support of friends and family, we will weather this."

Ginny turned to look at Hermione, who was seated by her side, and asked, "How about you, Mione? How are things between you and that oaf I call brother?"

Hermione blushed and answered, "Things are going well. Now I have all the time in the world to get to know him, to make sure he is the one for me. With the pressure off, things are going well. He is considerate, most of the time. Still, I know he is the one for me, the one I'll have beside me as I grow older."

Susan turned to look at Astoria and asked, "What about you, Astoria? Someone you have your eye on?"  
Astoria snorted and replied, "Stuck here, there is not much I can do in that regard. However they are some interesting lads and lassies around."

Susan and Hermione gasped. Astoria continued unperturbed, "Yes, lassies too. Men are so … uncouth sometimes. They lack certain finesse, certain tact. I try not to look only superficially, but to get to know the person well. I've found that I can connect with women much more easily than with men."

An interested pair of eyes followed hungrily Astoria's passionate delivery.

Hannah suddenly asked a whimsical question, "What do men think we do when we are alone like this?"  
Hermione pounced, "They probably think we talk about them!"

The girls laughed raucously. Astoria ordered a house-elf called John to bring them bowls of ice cream. After the elf had returned with the goodies, the ladies fell to ravenously.

Ginny answered belatedly, "As if! It's enough to live with the gits day in and day out; to mention them unnecessarily is so tiring!"  
Susan pondered, "I imagine they think we discuss their weak points."

Hannah jumped at this opening, "Then let's! Let's discuss their weak points."

Daphne smirked as she said, "Let's start with our dear Draco. Did you know that animals hate him? He was bitten by our dog once, and another time a cat really scratched him!"

Hermione wondered aloud, "Maybe that's why the hippogriff attacked him!"  
Daphne said to Astoria, "Your turn to say something bad about Draco, sis!"

Astoria said somberly, "This time I'll pass. Draco has been a nice friend. He's always watched out for me when he could. You forgot to mention, Daph, that when the dog bit him, it was because he held it back from pouncing on me."

"So I'll turn the question around a bit, what are Harry Potter's vulnerable points?"  
Hermione answered instantly, "He cares too much for people, and he should maintain some sort of psychological distance. People are his greatest strength, but they could also be a source of weakness."

Susan replied, "I concur with Mione. I also think he has a guilt complex. Fortunately it is dormant for the moment. I remember how Harry used to look after Sirius Black's demise, it wasn't pretty to see."

Daphne continued, "I believe he has a Slytherin side and maybe he represses it too much, as a result, he tends to easily trust. If once you've gained his trust, he'll always count on you. He does not realize that alliances may change with the blink of an eye."

Ginny said, "His one strength is to fully commit himself to achieving his goals. Unfortunately that is also his greatest weakness, he gives up friends and family so he can perform some arbitrary goal, without regard for those he leaves behind."

Hannah commented, "I think his one weakness is that he does not stand up for himself more. Sure, we know about the Dursleys and the harsh upbringing, but Harry should destroy the psychological shackles they still have on him. Standing up for himself would mean some fights, sure, but Harry is powerful and can do that. Lately all Harry wants to do is conciliate everyone. This is uplifting, but I think in the end it is not enough for Harry's well being." "What about you, Astoria? What do you think are Harry's weak points?"

Astoria answered, "I don't know him like you lot do. However I think his greatest danger is that pedestal they have all placed him on. They expect Harry to have the features of a demigod, to command and tower above the rest of us lowly mortals. They want perfection in Harry, the embodiment of a miracle consisting of the qualities they cherish the most. If Harry tries to live up to this image, he will lose his humanity in the process. If he tries to deviate from it, the Daily Prophet and others will be after his blood for breaking promises – which he never made anyway."

They continued watching the movie, and when it ended, they put another Tom Hanks film, 'Philadelphia.' They talked about their best and worst dates, what they wanted in a partner and what they disliked. Imperceptibly, the conversation shifted to their teachers.

Susan pointed at the screen and asked, "Doesn't that one remind you of Professor Sprout?"  
Hannah continued, "When she's upbraiding us? Sure, except Sprout is better looking."

Susan continued, "Who is the best-looking teacher we've ever had? Hannah?"  
"I would have to say Gilderoy Lockhart. The guy was a major twit, but he had a sense of style."

Hermione said shyly, "I agree with Hannah. Gilderoy was fun to look at."  
Susan said, "I must admit I have a weakness for Slytherin men. I think Professor Snape was the best-looking professor I've had. The man had such smoldering looks!"

Ginny gasped and then said, "I could go with either Susan or Hermione. So I pick Susan. Snape may have been menacing and cruel, he was undeniably good-looking."

Hannah couldn't help but point out that Ginny's own brothers had always said that Snape was a greasy git, with a hooked nose and he never washed his hair.

Ginny replied with a grin, "Remember that saying: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder? My brothers could never be neutral. So I warn you to take their judgment with a grain – or ten – of salt."

Daphne of course upheld Slytherin honor by choosing Snape, and it seemed that the former Headmaster had won at least this little battle.

Ginny asked Astoria about her best-looking Professor. The svelte blonde replied, "I'd say Mr. Jenkins. He teaches Potions and Arithmancy. He's tall, well built, with red hair and green eyes. He is 25 years old."

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The next day, Draco, Justin and Terry were seated at the Slytherin table. Some Slytherins still eyed distrustfully Justin and Terry, who were not part of their house. The blond Slytherin's glare was enough to keep these unruly elements in their place, though. Draco noticed that Elias Flint sat far apart from the main Slytherin body. He still ate little, though more than before.

Draco had tried to warn his Head of House, Horace Slughorn, about Elias's obvious distress signals. The portly man had nodded, talked of inconsequential things and then left. It figured that the revered Slughorn would have no interest in someone he deemed unfit for his stupid Slug Club.

Draco was discussing books with Terry when they started talking about movie adaptations of books and Justin presented his views. Draco looked to the Gryffindor table and saw a seemingly alone Harry Potter. Weasley wasn't around and neither were Ginny and Hermione. They were at Astoria's and Daphne's, probably talking about them.

Poor Harry looked so alone, that Draco took out his quill and he wrote a quick missive which he folded into the shape of a griffin. He softly blew on the griffin and sent it to the Gryffindor table.

Harry was pondering what to do with his day, when he felt a sharp nudge at his shoulder. He turned around and saw a beige parchment, folded into a griffin form. He smiled and thought of Draco and his penchant for whimsical things.  
He took the letter and unfolded it. He read:

_Meet me in the Quidditch Pitch, behind the locker room, in 30 minutes._

_DM_

Intrigued, Harry returned to his rooms and put back some books he had intended to read. He arrived presently at the spot Draco had indicated, just behind the locker room, and saw nothing.

He waited some minutes more, and as he got tired of standing, he sat down in the dry grass. The wind blew seemingly furiously, and he hoped damned Draco would hurry up!  
Then he heard a drawling voice very near, it said, "You should use a warming spell, Harry, else you'll get a cold."

Then he felt something softly touch his cheek, leaving some liquid behind, and he smelled the scent of Draco's cock. His mouth watered as he wondered.

He said aloud, "How?"  
Draco replied smugly, "I used an Invisibility charm, Harry. Now be a good boy and open your mouth… just so!"

Draco cast a warming spell on Harry, seeing that Harry's mouth was otherwise occupied at the moment.  
Harry felt the bulbous head enter his mouth and he gagged for it. He started to touch his own cock through his trousers as he hungrily took most of Draco's nine inches down his throat.

The musky scent of Draco drove him wild, and the fact that he couldn't see what he was doing. Only when he felt Draco's pubes against his lips did he realize he had taken Draco to the root. He started to bob up and down on an invisible piece of meat, and it was incredibly hot!

Then he heard a booming voice that he knew so well, "Are ye ok, Harry? Ye aren't choking, are ye?"

Harry hastily – and reluctantly – raised his head and felt Draco's arms holding him upright. He freed his mouth from the invisible prick and he answered very raspily, "No, I'm all right, Hagrid."

The groundskeeper said, "I saw ye from the other side of the Pitch, and it looked like ye were in some sort of trouble, lad."  
Harry reiterated, "I'm ok, Hagrid."

Then the half-giant finally left, to the not so secret delight of Harry and Draco.

Harry returned to doing what he had been so skillfully performing, inside the locker room. He continued to happily deep throat a thick, juicy and invisible cock. He was made all the hotter by Draco's commentary.

"Can you imagine Hagrid watching you as you ate my meat? But in fact he did see you, kneeling on the floor and gagging on my tool. You look so hot like this, Harry, with your mouth opened wide as you suck an invisible something. You look so cute."

Draco came a little bit later, and flooded Harry's throat with his warm come. Harry tried to lick the cock clean, but as he couldn't see it, it is doubtful he succeeded completely.

Then Harry felt invisible fingers pulling him up so he was standing. The fingers were running down his torso, to his trousers, which were taken down. His boxers followed and he just saw his cock standing at attention. What he felt, though, was a hungry mouth around his tool. Draco's mouth took him down to his root, and all Harry could see was his cock getting increasingly wet and shining with spit.

He had the idle thought that invisibility was vastly underrated when it was merely used to sneak up on enemies and its rightful use as a sexual aid was woefully neglected. He decided to do something to this effect, and he mentally volunteered the help of Draco.

Harry groaned and moaned as he felt his cock getting lost in the tightness and heat that was Draco's throat. Wishing to stay like this forever, he came some minutes later. It was eerie seeing the strings of come shoot out of his slit and seemingly disappear in midair.

It was also very hot, and he promised himself to repeat the encounter later, and perhaps venture south.

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On Monday, another working day started as usual in the Ministry.

Ernest M. Bradsee, the Head of DMN (Department of Magical Nuptials), read a memo stating the British Government's outright refusal to countenance the Marriage Law. He read about the decision of the Lords to uphold the lower court and thus considering the Marriage Law illegal. His bosses, though, wanted to see some action.

Ernest decided to jumpstart the Marriage Law by having the marriages performed earlier. He signed letters intended to this effect and was ready to send them out when something came up.

He said goodbye to his colleagues for the day took the lift and went out of the Ministry. He prepared to Apparate home. However, as he did so, something must have startled him, because he splinched himself. Later he was delivered to St. Mungo's, and had to stay there several days until his splinched parts were healed.

Later that week, Percy Weasley was about to decide on some issue concerning the Marriage Law when he noticed how curious it was that the Ministry's officials concerned with upholding that Law appeared to be having accidents at an alarming rate. Two outstanding wizards had been brought down due to seemingly preventable incidents, and both had been involved in the Marriage Law. In Percy's mind, the Marriage Law was trouble, great trouble. He decided to send the papers that needed to be signed to a colleague of his. He was too young to deal with it anyway.

Percy may not know it, but he had just avoided some nasty accident, using rather Slytherin tactics.

tbc


	15. Chapter 15

**November 30th, 1998  
Hogwarts**

Draco sat at the Hufflepuff table for breakfast. He sat between a still ingratiating Terry and a surprisingly courteous Dean Thomas. Apparently Terry Boot was progressing nicely in his long-distance wooing of Pansy. Unsurprisingly, the situation demanded utter candor, and Terry and Pansy got to know each other better without the physical distraction.

Pansy had written Draco, asking him to watch over Terry or else suffer the consequences.

A while later Dean and Draco started discussing movies. Since Dean was a great movie fan, he quizzed Draco on which movies he'd seen – a pitiful number as low as one. Then he started drafting a list of movies that deserved to be watched. Currently he was at 35, with such classics as _Casablanca_ on the list, together with _Gremlins_.

He'd also drawn portraits of Draco and Justin. The Hufflepuff was surprised by the Gryffindor's gesture and carefully guarded the portrait. Draco, however, was proud of Dean's drawing and put it up in the wall next to his bed.

Draco grudgingly admitted to himself that he liked this Gryffindor's straightforward approach, his timely delivery and constant supportive presence. The blond mused that those must be the qualities the Gryffindor employed in his soccer games.

A bit later, Harry sat at the Gryffindor table with Ron, Hermione, Ginny and a disgruntled Seamus. The Irishman was muttering to himself, "Now Dean sits with the enemy!"

Ginny bristled and responded dangerously suave, "What do you mean, Seamus? Who sits with the enemy? If you mean Dean, he is seated at the Hufflepuff table, hardly the enemy. Even if he sat with the Slytherins, they are no longer the enemy. It's time we moved beyond the confines of the houses!"

Seamus shouted, enraged, "That's it! You are lost to us! You hobnob with Slytherins; you turn up your nose at Harry's offer of marriage! You are no longer the innocent girl I grew up with! You are nothing but a slut, a whore to be use…."

Seamus couldn't finish his tirade because an enraged Ron got up, approached the raving Irishman and delivered a very effective punch that broke Seamus's nose. The Gryffindor was bleeding and Professor Slughorn, who had watched the whole incident, said, "Go to the infirmary, Mr. Finnigan, and 30 points for insulting a housemate. You will have detentions for two weeks with Mr. Filch."

"As for you, Mr. Weasley, 20 points for starting a fight. You will serve detentions for one week with me."

Ron hugged his sister before going away, saying, "Don't listen to that bastard, Gin! You will always be my little sister."  
Ginny sighed and embraced Ron.

The three Gryffindors continued eating quietly, Harry, Hermione and Ginny were lost in their own worlds. Suddenly a gentle voice intruded, asking, "Has anyone seen my modified dandelion seeds?" The three students looked up to see Neville Longbottom.

The quiet Gryffindor cut an impressive figure. He now spoke much more authoritatively, had a firmer grasp on his magic and his memory, and stood up for himself. It was him, after all, who played a key part in the Final Battle by killing off Nagini. Without him, Voldemort might have had a way to escape death.

It was him who was the symbol of rebellion in a Hogwarts sunk into the morass of the Carrows. Even if Draco managed to stop some of the more torturous experiences of the deadly siblings, many times he couldn't do anything and Neville bore the brunt of the Carrows' displeasure with equanimity and bravery – a true Gryffindor.

Neville had kept a low profile after the Battle; he was unfailingly polite and also very insightful. Some people ascribed this last quality to his girlfriend's influence, a certain Luna Lovegood.

Hermione, answering Neville's question, said quietly, "I think I saw your seeds in Greenhouse #3, Neville. They're the ones which glow fiercely orange, right?"

Neville nodded and replied, "Yes, they are the ones. I need to plant them specifically today if they are to be ready for gathering before we leave. It's my last project with Professor Sprout," informed Neville mournfully.

Ginny asked, surprised, "But the weather is awful! Plants will have a hard time of it!"  
Neville nodded and said, "I'll use a warming charm. That'll insure that adequate temperature is maintained." Neville looked at Harry and winked. Harry squirmed in his seat. Did Neville know anything?

Just then a willowy figure approached them from the Ravenclaw table. The figure which had flowing blond hair and outlandish glasses, said, "Nev. It's getting late; we must go and try to look for the Golden Snitch!"

Hermione said, "Are you going to the Pitch? That's where you can get a Golden Snitch."

Luna shook her head, she said, "The Golden Snitch is a new kind of fairy. They love Quidditch and renamed themselves thus. They're very secretive and powerful, they dwell in storage areas." Luna cocked her head and mused aloud, "I didn't know you had such a different taste in lingerie, Hermione."

Hermione blushed and Ginny snickered. Luna turned to Ginny and took off her glasses, she said, "It's a chore to use those see-through glasses! Ginny, I can see you are fixated on blondes. You had better make up your mind soon, or it will be made up for you."

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In the afternoon, after practicing with Harry and Susan, an exhausted Draco tried to perform some wandless magic. He found it came more easily, but he still needed time to prepare himself for the task, approximately 3 minutes, down from 6 minutes when he began.

He directed some changes in the presentation of the Map, and he inwardly smirked as he thought what Hermione would think about that.

Draco picked up his things and left the Room of Requirement. He went to the Library, to research some potions he wanted to make. As he walked in a corridor next to the Room, he noticed a faint light coming from one door. He opened the door slowly and entered. The room seemed to be a makeshift workshop, there were different magical tools lying around, which he recognized from the time he spent repairing the Vanishing Cabinets.

A scrawny figure could be seen as he modified the hands of a grandfather clock. Draco recognized Elias Flint, who was seemingly attempting to add a hand to an old magical clock.

Draco coughed. Elias jumped, grabbed his wand and turned around, while Draco calmly said, "It's a nice place you have here, Elias. I take it you like to repair things?"

Elias mutely nodded. Draco continued, "Maybe we should compare notes some time. Are you ok? Do you need anything?"

Elias indicated that he was fine. Draco then smiled fleetingly and left.

When he arrived at the Library, Draco sat down in his usual seat. Soon Hermione entered and sat to his left. The blond looked at Hermione and asked, "Have you thought about what I said?"

Hermione nodded and said, "I thought about the question, 'What's in a name?' But I can't make sense of it."

"Think about what a name means. Is it immutable, eternal, or can it change? A rose by any other name and all that. What can you contribute to the debate from your personal perspective? What is the common thread surrounding this? How does it relate to the task at hand?"

"I also brought you this surprise." Draco took out a seemingly blank piece of parchment. The blond continued, "When you have performed your task, the parchment will reveal something new. To do this, you must not use common magic, but the magic that resides in you."

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**December 2****nd****, 1998  
Hogwarts**

That Wednesday, the Gryffindors had Care of Magical Creatures with the Hufflepuffs. As Hagrid introduced them to the bowtruckles, beaming especially hard at the Gryffindors and their hero Harry, Justin and Susan struck up a conversation.

Justin said, "Are things going smoothly with you and Robert?" Susan nodded.  
The blond continued, "And he's still thinking about going to Harvard?"

Susan lightly touched her plaited hair as she answered, "He's determined to do it."  
"Well, if you run into any trouble, let me know. I might be able to recommend him, or dad can do it. I just want everything to work for you, Susan."

Susan wiped a tear from her cheek as she replied, "Thanks, Justin! What about you and the Slytherin princess?"  
"Me and Daphne! We are just doing great. She'll meet mom and dad next Saturday."

"I bet she's nervous, Justin! You'd better watch out for her."

Two Gryffindors were engaged in another discussion, although this one was more serious.

Hermione asked Harry, "I've been meaning to ask you this: why did you propose to Ginny, given that you are on a relationship with Draco?"

Harry answered, "Because I was preparing for the dictates of the Marriage Law. In my mind, I see it as one way to make sure that the Blood rivalry subsides once and for all. In the meantime, I've also realized how much I've grown to care for Draco and his company; his sharp wit and his surprising kindness. Sometimes I feel as if I am torn between two different ports, with no way to reach them."

Hermione asked worriedly, "What will you do, Harry?"

"Try to maintain my course of action; try to stay afloat in these churning circumstances."

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After lunch, Hermione stayed in her room and thought long and hard about Draco's challenge. What's in a name, indeed? Why was Draco so insistent about this theme, ever since he learned she could speak three languages?

A rose by any other name… In English a rose, in French _une rose_, in German _eine Rose_.

They all sound so similar. Of course this hinted at a common Indo-Germanic root word, and maybe by noting the similarities and differences in the sound she could arrive at such root, extrapolating from current languages.

Then she remembered the parchment, which was blank. Hermione searched for it frantically inside her bag, found it and took it out. What were his words? No common magic would work, but only the magic within her.

What gibberish was this? She swore the next time she saw Draco she would hex him so much her wand would heat up.  
Her wand… Could it be the key? No common magic – magic with a wand – would work. Only magic within her, like _wandless _magic would work on the parchment.

So she had one of the keys to wandless magic in her grasp. She had to follow the clues. The languages, the names. She mentally examined the substantives in the three languages, how they were used to build sentences, how they formed part of the whole. The grammar dictating their use and how it was applied. She vaguely perceived hints about something else, something elusive.

She created a magnificent mental aerie, and then observed the parchment. She imagined it changing due to wandless magic. She pictured using the spell _Revelo._

Immediately the parchment began to change. It went from white to green and she could see a psychotic lion icon as it slowly turned into a smiling lion. The letters appeared: '_Welcome to wandless._'

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Draco was walking toward the Pitch, to meet with Harry, when he saw a crying Lavender Brown descending the stairs from the second floor. Lavender's makeup was smeared a bit, and her eyes were bloodshot.

Draco asked what was wrong, and Lavender started crying again. Draco moved them to a side room used for Muggle Studies class. He tried again to ask what was the matter, but Lavender kept crying.

Finally, Lavender stopped. She explained, "The Marriage Law appears to be invalid. Now I will never get to be your wife. No one will want me! I am the ditzy Gryffindor after all, the empty-headed one!"

Draco answered softly, "Now don't say that, Lavender! I don't think you are empty-headed. You have shown plenty of courage and determination. You are brave and resourceful, you are also beautiful. I'm sure any reasonable man would be honored to be your spouse. So you like to look at life from a cheerful point of view. What's wrong with that?

"It is certainly better than moping around. I'm sure you'll build a great life, with your husband and children. They'll be lucky to have you. I knew you had true grit when you dated the Weasel. That took courage, let me tell you!"

Lavender cracked a smile. She seemed to be slowly lifting from the abyss of despair she had been laboring under. After a while spent discussing classes and their housemates, Lavender left saying she would visit with Parvati.

Draco finally made it to the Pitch and found a disgruntled Harry. They mounted their brooms and after casting some Warming charms, began to play Quidditch one on one.

Flying with Draco, free as a bird, was a wonderful experience for Harry. The concentration necessary to beat Draco to the Snitch during the games took its toll on Harry's enjoyment. Though it had been fun, it could not compare to testing his mettle against Draco's flying skills. The two ex-Seekers fought ferociously for the Snitch, reveling in the intensity of the rivalry, not caring whether they won or lost, only that they gave their all when they played.

Eventually they stopped after Draco got the Snitch. Harry asked good-naturedly how he had managed to cheat, and Draco smacked him upside the head.

They headed back to the castle after taking down the Warming charm.  
Harry pointed toward the Forbidden Forest, "Look, Venus is there!"

Draco scoffed and said, "How can you find it unaided?"  
Harry answered, "It's possible to see it if the atmosphere is clear. It's funny what you learn when you live on the run for almost a year. In my case, I learned to depend on my Astronomy knowledge. Sometimes the stars provided the only certain company, apart from Hermione, of course.

"If it were night, I could point out to you the constellation Draco. It was the first constellation I learned to identify by rote."

Draco blushed and muttered something under his breath, then he asked Harry, "Do you believe in second chances?"

The Gryffindor replied, "Yes, I do. I think we all commit mistakes, if we own up to them and go forward, that should be appreciated.

"I remember in the Final Battle, when your mother asked me if you were alive. After I answered her with the truth, she boldly lied to Voldemort. She knew that if her subterfuge was discovered, Voldemort would kill her and all the Malfoys.

"Still she lied. She did it because of her love for you. I realized that you cared for each other very much. In time, I knew that you had the potential to become good.

"That's why I testified for you. You can contribute a lot."

Harry asked, "What about you, Draco, do you believe in second chances?"

Draco replied, "Having received them, I support them. I think people change, sometimes for the better.

"Witness my beating you in Quidditch."

Harry smacked Draco upside the head and had to dodge an underhanded attack by the blond. Interestingly enough, Susan had confided how ticklish Draco was and so Harry's preferred mode of retaliation was by casting _Rictumsempra_ on a writhing Draco.

Seeing the blond crying and writhing was too much for Harry. He stopped the attack and tried to make sure that Draco was ok when the tables were turned and suddenly he was the one beneath a smirking blond.

Draco drawled, "You should know by now never to underestimate a Slytherin. We are more like the cunning snakes than you think!"

Draco proceeded to kiss passionately the raven-haired Gryffindor. Harry was embraced by Draco's strong arms. The kiss was intense, as always, a timeless moment where only they existed, and the world and its cares were but a shadow for them.

A while later, Harry nonchalantly asked, "Ready for some invisible action?"  
Draco blushed and replied, "Not today, I'm knackered. Let's do it some other time. You still owe me, Potter!"

Harry smirked and didn't respond.  
He went to take a bath in Gryffindor Tower and Draco left to speak to Hermione.

The Slytherin found a brunette in the Library. She seemed aglow as she embraced Draco and bade him to sit down.  
Hermione started, "It's wonderful, Draco! I can use wandless magic! It was so wondrous!"

Draco sighed as he listened to the victorious witch and smirked internally. He looked in his bag for another test he had prepared for her, but the parchment was seemingly absent.

Hermione asked, "How did you know it would work? Why not come out and say it simply then?"

Draco replied, "I didn't know it would work out. I hoped so. To achieve wandless magic you must be in a state of magical meditation. It's similar to Muggle techniques, but the wizard or witch must arrive there alone. The insights that take him there are their own, too.

"It could happen while you were listening to some inspiring music, or read a good story, or watched an interesting painting, but it might take years for you to discover the trigger. It worked when you wondered about the different languages as applied to one item. I suspected you would be successful because it worked for me the same way.  
"You must come to this meditation state on your own. At first, it is very fragile and any force could wreak it, like outside intervention. Thus, you must get there yourself.

"Coincidentally, this magical meditation is also very useful in the teaching of Occlumency. You will be able to quickly advance thanks to that meditation ability. Thus, what you learned today will apply both to Occlumency and wandless magic.

"Starting with Occlumency, when you achieve the meditation state, you must close all avenues that lead into your memories. You may visualize your memories as rooms in a castle, like Hogwarts. You will close them from outside influence by picturing a bridge that is raised and prevents access. The more detailed you imagine this to be, the more secure and successful will be your Occlumency.

"Occlumency also helps in compartmentalizing your memories. You have greater recall, more ease remembering things, and an easier path to learning. I suspect you already have an inborn grasp of these techniques, as they may be what reside at the core of successful learning, which you have demonstrated.

"I suggest you practice achieving the meditation state. It is hard at the beginning, but gets better with practice." Draco got up, went to the door and got out of the room. Hermione noticed he had left some parchments behind, and put them together with hers. She'd give them back to him tomorrow, and chastise him for forgetting things.

Draco went to the Prefect's Bathroom to take a bath. Although he was not a prefect, he still got the password from the Head Boy. The blond quickly got rid of his robes and entered the bathroom, having chosen his favorite perfumes and essences.

A fog appeared next to the floor and condensed into the figure of Myrtle. Draco asked Myrtle how things had been, and they chatted companionably.  
Draco was not disturbed at all that he shared a bathroom with a ghost girl. He and Myrtle went back a long ways, and she had always looked out for him, even when Harry decided to cast _Sectumsempra_ on him.

Myrtle complained about the lack of attention of the living students, and the snobby attitudes of the deceased persons, like Mr. Binns or the Bloody Baron.

Finally she noticed that Draco was finished with his bath. She hastily floated up and said, "I'll go to the dungeons and look around, Draco. Watch out!" With that Myrtle floated through the wall and disappeared.

Draco got out of the bathtub and he started to get dressed. He put on his boxers, socks, trousers and shoes. He finished donning a stunning silver button down shirt. He was about to put on his robe when the door to the Prefect's Bathroom was opened forcefully. Several cowled figures entered.

Draco grabbed his wand, convinced that this was an ambush. He started casting spells. This situation, namely fighting against overwhelming odds, was not completely new to him, as it had been the same when the Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws attacked him, Crabbe and Goyle in the Hogwarts Express at the end of their Fifth Year.

Draco managed to cut down three assailants, but he could not fight against such odds for long. Someone shouted _Immobulus_ and he fell down.  
While his captors bickered about what to do with him, Draco desperately concentrated in entering the meditation state and using wandless magic. After two minutes, he managed it, and was able to cast the counterspell to _Immobulus_. He was somewhat free.

What to do? He could not stay and fight them all, especially when they had taken his wand. He decided to make a run for it and instantly bolted for the door. He noticed a small, scrawny figure to his left and he inwardly mourned as he recognized Elias Flint. They had managed to lure the Slytherin into his plans, and the boy had such promise!

Then the chase was on. Draco ran as if his life depended on it, and the figures chased him. He heard someone shout, "Get the slimy git!" and unsurprisingly recognized the Irish lilt of Seamus Finnigan.

After running for what felt a lifetime, and was really around 100 feet, Draco felt a stunning spell hit his back. He jumped and hit his head with a sconce. When he came to, he saw he was lying on the floor. He could see the corridor and one figure approaching. The student appeared to be tall, and had a mop of red hair. The Weasel! Now the question was, would Weasley help him or not?

On his way to a rendezvous with Hermione in the Astronomy Tower, Ron sensed something wrong. He turned to the left corridor and walked warily. He saw a figure lying on the floor, a man with platinum blond hair. Malfoy! Should he help him?

Ron mused about the many ways Malfoy had made fun of him: disparaging his family's finances, his friends, himself. He composed the idiotic _Weasley is our King_ song. Ron also thought about what it felt like to be poisoned and almost killed.  
True, Hermione and Harry now were friends of Malfoy, but his infamy would remain alive forever in Ron's memory, and he did what he had to do.

He turned around and walked out of that corridor, looking for another way to get to Hermione. He would not think about Malfoy again, and maybe, if he was lucky, the git would cease to be a problem soon.

Draco was seeing double. He saw two mops of red hair approach, then hesitate for a second and seemingly make up their minds. He saw them walk nonchalantly back to whatever place they came from. He knew then that he was completely alone and delivered to his enemies.

It wasn't a new situation for Draco. He'd been alone for so long, and he had been living in the middle of Voldemort's camp.

So the blond Slytherin prepared for the ordeal the best way he knew how. He heard the footsteps of his assailants approaching. He knew he was too late for any daredevil approach using wandless magic. The road was open, and dangerous, and deadly.

tbc


	16. Chapter 16

**December 3rd, 1998  
Hogwarts**

Susan and Hannah were seated at the Hufflepuff table, together with Justin and Terry. When Draco failed to make an appearance midway through the meal, they were concerned.

Draco loved breakfast. He may not always wake up with the best mood, but he loved to eat the nutritious breakfast meals and prepare for the day. This was unlike him.

When the meal ended, Hannah went to the Slytherin table to ask Daphne about the blond's whereabouts. Susan went to Gryffindor to ask if Hermione, Harry or Ginny had any information.  
When Susan related the strange story of a missing Draco, Harry interjected, "Draco must have gone to Malfoy Manor! Nothing to worry about, Susan! He'll turn up in time. We'd better not disturb him, or he will be angry with us!"

Hermione goggled as Ginny and Susan narrowed their eyes. The carefree Harry walked away, presumably to the Quidditch Pitch.

Susan commented, "The git! Did you see him dismiss Draco so easily! Is this how he shows he cares for him, by abandoning him?"  
Ginny concurred, "It's because Draco is not a member of the hallowed Trio. If he were, things would move very quickly, no offence meant, Mione!"

Hermione replied, "None taken."

They had their first classes of the day. When the Hufflepuffs had Potions, Susan, Hannah and Justin stayed behind, together with Daphne. The brunette Slytherin was elected as their spokesperson as they prepared to ask Slughorn for his help. Maybe he had a sweet disposition towards Slytherins, seeing how he was the Head of Slytherin.

When the class ended, the foursome stayed behind and Daphne said, "Sir, Draco Malfoy appears to be missing."

"Since when?"  
"His absence was noticed this morning. None of his housemates appears to have seen him today. He seems to have vanished without a trace, we are very worried and we'd like to ask for your help."

Slughorn replied, "You did well, Miss Greengrass. However I think he went to his parents' Manor, and he forgot to tell you. Unfortunately I can't do anything until 48 hours pass.

"When that times comes, please contact me again and I'll see what I can do."

The dejected Hufflepuffs and Slytherin went to the Room of Requirement to wait for the Gryffindors and Ravenclaw. Hermione, Ginny and Terry had offered to go to McGonagall and get her help in locating Draco. They had seemingly hoped that with their reputations preceding them, the Studious Trio would be easily able to sway her.

When the studious ones arrived accompanied by Harry, the others could see by their faces that they had also failed. An angry Ginny explained that McGonagall was of the firm opinion that Draco was at Malfoy Manor. She adamantly refused to move one finger until one week had passed. She also refused to contact Lucius!

Harry looked distraught now. Apparently he'd realized how strange it would be for Draco to leave Hogwarts and not tell anyone about it. Justin angrily took out his cell phone from his pocket. Fortunately it was him who had paced back and forth in front of the tapestry this time, and he had wished for an environment where he could use his phone.

He called his father at his estate. Jason answered and Justin explained to his father concisely what was happening. He asked Jason to contact Lucius, because his help was needed.

At home, Jason went to get the owl Lucius had given him, scribbled a note and sent it.  
After some time, Jason heard a popping sound, which he took to mean that Lucius had come somehow. Indeed, a little while later a pale Lucius appeared. To Jason's surprise he appeared lost and defeated, not at all his usual jaunty self.

When Jason suggested Lucius go to the Ministry and the Aurors, Lucius replied bitterly, "The Ministry? The Aurors? They loathe the Malfoy name and they would do nothing to help us. In fact, they would probably derail the investigation and seek to use Draco for their so-called noble purposes!  
"The fact is that we Malfoys are powerless. Much more vulnerable than an ordinary person in the street. That person at least has the covering hand of anonymity. We don't, we are exposed. They only watch as hungry vultures to see who is the first one who can pounce.

"I don't even have any pull with the school. I once had a Governor's seat, but I lost it due to my fumbling maneuvers to help the demented tyrant. If I press McGonagall, she will refuse to help, because Draco is a lowly Slytherin. How I wish I had been wise enough to suggest to Draco to be sorted into Gryffindor!"

Jason smirked eerily like Lucius as he replied, "Maybe you have lost your seat, my friend, but that is no obstacle for me to get one! If Hogwarts is really so free of any Dark thoughts as they claim, then they cannot help but be obliging when I meekly suggest it is time for one of those vaunted Governor's seats to go to a Muggle! We will see then if they really practice what they preach!

"If they refuse then they will face a relentless pressure. Which reminds me, I'd better talk on the phone with Susan's, Hannah's and Terry's caretakers, as I intend to put a lot of pressure on that intractable Scottish Headmistress, McGonagall. I'll also let other parents know!"  
Jason tried to cheer up Lucius saying, "The benefits of political pull, where to apply it, oh my!"

In Hogwarts, Hermione remained behind in the Room and tried assiduously to perfect wandless magic. The Universe being as it is, she failed miserably. That is, she could perform wandless magic, but it took her an extremely long time in her view, 3 minutes! The good news was that she had perfected her _Occlumency._ She had mentally pictured a Scottish castle comprised of different rooms, her thoughts, and the sole means of accessing them was closely guarded. If someone tried to enter her thoughts the bridge would be raised and the castle would remain an impregnable fortress.

The remaining members of the gang had duly agreed to search Hogwarts: Justin, Susan, Hannah and Harry took the Towers and the upper floors. Meanwhile, Daphne, Terry and surprisingly enough, Dean Thomas, dedicated themselves to searching the lower levels, including the Dungeons.

When Dean had seen how upset Hannah and the others were, he offered freely his help. He said, "Draco and I have sometimes fought, but these last days, I sensed a change in him. He's grown more tolerant and open. He may still be sarcastic and opinionated, but I don't think that is a good pretext for hunting someone and hurting them. If it were, Zach Smith, Ernie McMillan and Ron Weasley would have been targeted long ago.

"It is because he is a Slytherin. His past, coupled with his family, make him _persona non grata _for some, and that is simply prejudice. So whatever I can do for a fellow schoolmate I will do."  
They searched for hours, and they couldn't find anything. Not surprising, considering how big Hogwarts was, and how many secret rooms it must have.

During dinner, the Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaw, Slytherins and Gryffindors did not eat much at all. Ginny narrowed her eyes as she observed Ron clowning around, seemingly at ease with the fact that Draco was absent. He might be undergoing torture right now, or maybe he was already dead! Luckily for her faith in Harry, the Gryffindor had decided he had been wrong, and was a helpful ally as they searched for Draco.

Ginny noticed how exuberant Ron seemed today. She knitted her eyebrows and vowed to herself to get to the bottom of her brother's obvious cheer.

The discouraged students went to bed. Hermione continued desperately with her wandless exercises, hoping to master it in time to save Draco. She knew that the more that time passed and Draco was not found, the worse the results would be. She prayed to the God of her youth and the gods of her present to give succor to the young man. He was flawed, but he had hidden depths. All the wisdom and the pain, together with the growth and repentance, could not, should not vanish from this world as suddenly as a desert mirage.

Unbeknownst to the rest of the students, a shadowy figure made his way to the Owlery. Once there, the figure let its cowl down. Harry waved his hand as if greeting the owls, and then he prepared to transform into his Animagus form.

Harry had researched some books of Remus's and he had found the path the Marauders took to become Animagi. Once in the school, he asked Slughorn to give him the potion to reveal his Animagus form, and the jovial Head of Slytherin complied. After the long months preparing this, he had achieved his form last week. It hadn't been a surprise at all.

Then Harry transformed into a big Golden Eagle. His wingspan was nearly two meters; he had black-brown feathers, although to an unbiased observer, it would seem as if the Eagle had _unruly_ black feathers. He had strong muscular legs and strong talon claws.

The owls were hooting and flying around like crazy. They might know he was Harry, to their eyes it seemed like a big raptor was among them and would attack soon. Of course, it might also have to do with the fact that Eagle Harry liked to mock-attack the owls when he saw them, which might be fun for the Eagle, but very scary for the owl.

Harry spread out his wings and flew out of the Owlery. He rode the currents and soon achieved the clouds. Although his vision as an Eagle was superb, it was night and the lack of light hampered it. Fortunately the moonlight was plentiful and allowed him to see enough to fly by. Up here the Earth seemed like a peaceful place, all silver and black.

Harry turned his eyes to the North and observed the constellation he liked so much. When he was in his Animagus form the problems seemed to be manageable and solvable, as opposed to the humdrum of ordinary life.

Draco, he could not allow any harm to come to the Slytherin. He had to prevent this.

After flying for two hours more, Harry returned to the Owlery and changed back. Thankfully he didn't have to worry about clothes. They appeared and disappeared as needed.

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The students did not sleep well at all. During breakfast, they were yawning and eating listlessly their porridges and eggs and bacon, when the owls came in.

A ferocious-looking barn owl swooped down in front of McGonagall and deposited a red envelope. Hermione, who was watching, concluded that it was a Howler and she couldn't wait to hear what it said. The Headmistress had fallen in her favor when she failed to do anything to help search for Draco.

McGonagall shakily opened the envelope and a shrieking voice could be heard, "_How dare you, Minerva? How dare you wash your hands off of a student of yours just because he is a Slytherin? Malfoy has gone missing, and you do nothing! I bet that if it were one of your coddled Gryffindors you would be bringing Hogwarts down by now! But because he is a Slytherin and a Malfoy to boot, you watch happily from afar, doing nothing!_

"_I intend to call a meeting of the Board of Governors with the goal of scrutinizing your actions. You are behaving exactly like your pompous mentor did. Teachers murdered in the school, a Basilisk let loose, a prisoner of Azkaban who terrorizes the students, a student kidnapped from Hogwarts, an inquisitor torturing students, a plot to murder the Headmaster which said Headmaster_ allowed to proceed_. Dumbledore's tenure indicates how fragile or Machiavellian his modus operandi was._

"_You are following the same path, the omniscient Headmistress who cannot see far beyond her fingers. A student is kidnapped and you do nothing, presumably because he is simply a Slytherin. Shame on you, Minerva, shame on you!"_

Neville Longbottom stood up and started clapping, to show his support for his grandmother, Augusta Longbottom. Neville's Gran showed strength of character by writing that scorching missive, even if her choice of headgear was a little outlandish at times. After two minutes he sat down, just in time to witness the next Howlers, from Susan Bones's mother, Hannah's aunt, and lastly Terry's father.

A shaking McGonagall reached for her goblet as several figures entered the Great Hall. With impeccable timing, possibly because they had house-elves to assure they arrived at the best moment, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy strode in, followed by Jason Finch-Fletchley.

Lucius immediately confronted McGonagall. "As you can see, I am here, Headmistress, and Draco is not. He has not been to the Manor. I demand that you institute a full search for him at Hogwarts."

McGonagall sputtered, "You demand, Mr. Malfoy? You dare to demand? We will follow procedure and wait an additional 24 hours, and then we'll search the Slytherin common room and the Dungeons. Later in the week we may search the rest."

Horace Slughorn walked up to them and commented, "The boy is a loner. He's probably somewhere alone, thinking about things. Give him time and he will come back."  
Pomona Sprout concurred, "Yes, the boy walks to his own beat. Give him time and he will return."

Narcissa spoke up, because she was really tired of all these roly-poly characters whining and not doing anything to help Draco, "McGonagall, if you don't help us now, the whole story will be in the _Daily Prophet_ tomorrow, how Hogwarts left a boy to face a mortal peril alone. There'll be such an outcry, that it would not surprise me when the Slytherin and Hufflepuff parents pull their children out of Hogwarts. With the school reduced in half, it will have to close."

Jason sauntered close to McGonagall, and smirked as he said, "I will also complain against you for reckless and malicious behavior while being charged with the education of hundreds of children."

McGonagall snorted and replied, "I hardly think so, Mr. Finch-Fletchley."

Jason's smirk grew more feral as he answered, "I think it is you who are wrong, Minerva. You see, I won't complain to the Ministry or the Wizengamot, because I know your minions work there and will gladly give you a free pass to do with Hogwarts as you will. I will complain to an independent source, one who has the laws in place to protect us, who in fact has had these laws for hundreds of years. They will carefully judge your actions, and if found guilty you will pay the consequences. Your vaunted friends won't help you. They simply can't."

McGonagall meditated for some time. She considered the threatening words of Narcissa and Jason. She had to admit, they sounded serious. It would be better to go with the flow.

McGonagall said, "Ok, we will begin the search immediately. Classes are cancelled for today. I will assign floors for teachers to search." She addressed the students and said, "Have any of you noticed anything unusual?"

The students fidgeted and some whispered to each other. McGonagall was about to dismiss them when Dean Thomas spoke up, "I noticed Seamus Finnigan didn't sleep in our dorm room last night. When I woke up at 6:00 AM his bed was still unmade."  
Ginny's eyes narrowed as she looked at Ron. How come he hadn't said anything? Seamus was his roommate, as was Dean.

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During lunch, which the stressed students ate together, their talk was seemingly disheartening. They were very worried about where Draco was and what was happening to him. They talked despairingly of never seeing him again, until Hannah spoke up.

"Cheer up! Things are not as dim as they seem. We have to keep doing our utmost to get Draco back! We can't dwell on bad feelings forever. Justin and Terry, you can search a bit the grounds around Hogwarts, get Hagrid's help! Susan and I will search Slytherin again; Hermione, Harry and Ginny, you can check in the Library and see if you find a Locator spell. Daphne, Robert and Dean, you could look over the Quidditch Pitch. Now go on and move!"

Everyone followed the petite Hufflepuff's energetic commands.

Hermione, Harry and Ginny went back to Gryffindor Tower to get some books. Hermione grabbed her bag, and they made their way to the Library.

Hermione looked in the Library for any tomes dealing with possible Locator spells. She found an especially promising one, '_Inner secrets of gargoyles and locations by Wasser Speier._

She grabbed the book and similar ones and went down to their table. She sat down next to Ginny and pulled out some parchments, including some of those Draco had that night.

Hermione started to read the book. Unfortunately, the spell only worked if you had the blood of the person you were trying to reach, which was a little unreasonable seeing as they had supposedly disappeared. She reached for another book to research when the door to the Library was opened forcefully and Andromeda Tonks walked in, carrying Teddy.

Andromeda walked straight to them with a sour mien. Hermione thought she seemed disappointed because she lacked her usual Draco-bashing treat.

Andromeda said, "I'm trying to talk to McGonagall and I can't seem to find her." She looked entreatingly at Harry as she said, "Would you care for Teddy while I go search for her?"

Harry nodded, thinking that McGonagall must be unreachable because she had been recruited most unwillingly to look for Draco, Andromeda's nephew. He figured the two older women cared not at all for the Slytherin.

Teddy was irritable, and there was no pacifier to distract him, so Hermione gave him some blank parchments to play with.

Teddy started waving the parchments around and drooling on them. Harry thought he would have to use a cleaning charm on the parchment, if he wanted to use it.

Suddenly a blur of color caught his eye. Teddy was waving around a colored parchment, when Hermione had given him completely blank ones!

Harry observed intently the lines of color as Teddy stopped waving it. He noticed the architectural drawing, the lines that seemed to flow so easily. So this was the Map Draco had told him about, the Serpent's Map! Harry frowned at what he perceived as a slight against his parents and their vaunted Marauder's Map.

So the Map was among the parchments Draco left, but how was it that it could be read? He remembered Draco's words that the Map could be operated only by the Malfoy, Black or Snape blood.

He mentally slapped himself as he realized that of course Teddy was a Black, he was the grandson of Andromeda Black!  
Harry nudged Hermione's elbow and pointed toward Teddy looking interestedly at the Serpent's Map.

Hermione was quite surprised, and then she knew what they had to do.

They had the Map, and they had a means to look for Draco, if he was still at Hogwarts! Gently she put the Map on the table and moved Teddy's fingers so it showed different rooms. She was pleased to note that the Gryffindor lions no longer looked so psychotic, nor the Badgers so calm or the Eagles so constipated.

She searched relentlessly the Map, using Teddy's finger as a pointing device. Silently she conjured some cookies, which she gave to Teddy in order to keep him entertained. She was worried to see that Draco was not held in the Dungeons.  
She started on Ravenclaw Tower, and soon found to her delight an icon showing a smirking snake with the name Draco Malfoy, in the next room there were several icons, one had the name Seamus Finnigan.

Harry took out a coin from his pocket and activated it, sending a message to Susan, asking for their attendance in the Library, because they had news of the utmost import concerning Draco.

Presently the gang appeared. Harry explained that they had a strong hunch Draco was in a certain room, guarded by Seamus and several others, he said they needed to get to that location and rescue Draco.

They made their way as if going to a dangerous battle. Harry, Justin and Terry were the attack, Susan, Robert and Hannah protected the flanks, Dean and Daphne were the rearguard, Ginny protected Hermione, who was holding Teddy and had the Map in her grasp.

When they got to the door of the room Seamus was apparently guarding, Hermione noticed a small white square in the Map, with the password, "_The greater good."  
_After that, Hermione retreated to a small room across the corridor, to protect Teddy while they engaged in battle.

After Justin said the password and the door opened, Harry, Justin, Robert, Susan and Terry rushed in. Seamus and the others were caught unawares, but they soon rose to the challenge and started to hex them. Justin and Terry dodged the curses easily, and delivered their own effectively. Harry was a master when he attacked, and it was their coordinated feints and support of each other that won the day. Susan was caught by an _Immobulus_ and couldn't move, when a hex seemingly escaped and shot through the door. It was about to hit Hannah, and Hermione wished desperately that she could counteract that curse, but she needed minutes to be able to cast wandlessly, and she was holding Teddy and the Map.

Fortunately, when the spell was almost upon Hannah, a _Protego_ shield went up around her, cast by Ginny. The Hufflepuff nodded to Ginny and muttered 'Thanks,' as they entered the room to find the miscreants completely subdued. The Irishman had been hit with some interesting spells that gave him a crocodile snout and antelope's ears. He was immobilized and helpless, as were his partners in crime.

Harry and Hannah went to the next room. They soon called out, "Are you sure he is here, Hermione?"

After the enemy had been put out of commission, Hermione entered the room. She took a look at the Map, taking care not to jostle Teddy's finger so it could remain in contact with it. She replied, "Yes, he is there with you and Hannah, Harry."

"Well, I see no one."

With her heart sinking, Hermione entered the room cautiously and beheld a bed and a couch. Things were haphazardly thrown around, as if people had been looking for something. She only saw Harry and Hannah.

Then she held Teddy and the Map carefully. She moved Teddy's finger in a diagonal motion and got the Map to zoom in on the room. She observed their names and icons, and _still it showed Draco_. According to the Map, Draco was on the couch.

Now either the Map was wrong or Draco couldn't be seen. Maybe he had an Invisibility Cloak, or had a spell to make him invisible.

Hermione gingerly moved her hand over the couch and soon encountered an unseen obstruction. She made to grab a cloak but found none.

Damn, now she had to take off the spell! How could they treat a wounded, invisible Draco? She uttered _Finite incantatem_ as she waved her wand and nothing happened.

Now what? Why did all these things happen to her? She wondered why a _Finite_ didn't work. Probably the miscreants took away Draco's wand. He must have thought becoming invisible would confuse his captors. She'd bet good money that he had cast the invisibility spell wandlessly, so special considerations needed to be taken to ensure it was finished, like casting a _Finite_ wandlessly.

Hermione concentrated, notwithstanding the fact that Teddy was near, held by Hannah, or that the guys were talking quietly nearby, lifting the _Immobulus_ from Susan. It mattered not at all for her in her thought universe. She concentrated and entered the magical meditation state and uttered _Finite Incantatem. _

The spell was lifted and Draco appeared in front of them. They gasped, because Draco had a big bump on his head, and there were bloody streaks marking his blond hair. He appeared to be unconscious. Susan cast quick diagnostic spells and told them that they had kicked his ribs, breaking two of them. Harry carefully proceeded to take Draco to the Infirmary, taking care in handling his body smoothly, and they also took the miscreants there, not caring much whether their thick heads met the door or floor.

tbc


	17. Chapter 17

**December 4th, 1998  
The Infirmary, Hogwarts**

Madam Pomphrey consoled the students with the results of her scanning spells. After an early intervention, Draco seemed to be doing ok. Madam Pomphrey said, "Mr. Malfoy was suffering from the effects of a nasty concussion. If he had been left without medical care for 48 or even 24 hours more, he could've died. I have treated his broken ribs and the wound in his head that caused the concussion. He should wake up in a few hours.

"So you can go on to your rooms. Mr. Malfoy is being guarded here by his father, mother and Mr. Finch-Fletchley."

Indeed, they were two beds near Draco, obviously conjured by Lucius, because they appeared to be very luxurious. Narcissa stood guard like a lioness protecting her cub, as her husband and his confederate probably examined ways to make the miscreants pay.

Comforted indeed by the normalcy in the midst of the crisis, Susan left for Hufflepuff, accompanied by Robert. Justin waited a moment for Daphne to return. She had been speaking to Mr. Finch-Fletchley. Jason seemed to enjoy her no-nonsense behavior and adherence to traditions. Finally the brunette Slytherin appeared and waved good-bye to Jason. Then she and Justin went out the door towards Slytherin.

Hannah was accompanied to Hufflepuff by the ever cheerful Dean Thomas. The black wizard had been worried about the frustrated attack on Hannah, and now tended to hover near her. The petite Hufflepuff felt a little uncomfortable with all the attention and hoped Dean would go back to normal soon.

Terry left with Hermione. He was being a gentleman and would see to her safety in Gryffindor. The brunette still held in her hand the Serpent's Map, and held in her arms a sleeping Teddy. While they were walking to Gryffindor, they encountered a seemingly angry Andromeda.

Andromeda Tonks said exasperated, "There you are! I've been searching all over for you! It's time for Teddy to go home. Thanks, Miss Granger!"

Mrs. Tonks took Teddy from Hermione's shoulder, where the toddler was drooling adorably, and proceeded to walk away with a now grumpy Teddy.

Ginny left with Harry. The brunet had been uncharacteristically quiet during the talk Madam Pomphrey had with the students. He appeared to be meditating about something. He hardly heard her when Ginny started to talk about Quidditch, but then, he seemed to have lost his enthusiasm for Quidditch along the way when he defeated Voldemort.

After Ginny muttered the password, "_Two hearts beat as one_" to a sleepy Fat Lady, the door opened and they entered the gaudy world of Gryffindor Tower.

A little after midnight, the door to the Infirmary opened soundlessly and then closed itself. Something, perhaps an air current, disturbed a piece of parchment that was on Lucius's bed.

Draco looked almost peaceful lying there. Narcissa and Lucius were dozing lightly and could wake up if they heard any noise, which was the reason the unseen person was using a Muffliato spell. Ensconced beneath his Invisibility Cloak, Harry kept faithful watch over Draco.

He looked at the unconscious blond, and remembered the many fights they'd had through the years with a strange mixture of nostalgia and regret. Nostalgia because they occurred in the irretrievable past and regret because they lost so many years fighting when they could have tried to be friends.

Draco acted like a beacon sometimes. Memories of First Year were somewhat blurred, except the fight with Voldemort, and the scenes involving Draco. Because the memories were so intense, they involved other parts of his psyche and offered succor when the environment seemed numb.

He had seen the face he was growing to love expressing many passions, despite the Malfoy Mask. Likewise Draco knew him intimately, perhaps better than Ron and Hermione. They were truly two of a kind.

Harry smiled as he remembered the ferret incident, although he concluded that must have been very painful and humiliating for Draco.

The blond always knew how to push his buttons, but in return, Harry had learned how to maneuver the blond.

Eventually, a sleepy Harry laid down on a bed in the Infirmary and slept some hours under the Invisibility Cloak. He woke up in the morning and found a sandwich and a bottle of cola laying next to his head and a small note which said,

_Mr. Potter,_

_I could imagine it was you beneath that Cloak. Thanks for helping Draco!_

_NM_

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On Saturday, Draco woke up approximately at 11:00 AM. He remembered fuzzily what had transpired: the attack on the Prefect's Bathroom, the moment when he used wandless magic to escape, only to be thwarted. Lying there and watching two – no, one – redhead appear, look mockingly at him and then leave. His subsequent recapture, the time when he was left alone for a while and he could reacquire the mental state necessary to cast a wandless spell and become invisible, and then he recalled the sensation of blacking out. As he was apparently in a bed in the Infirmary, he must have been rescued somehow.

That left the matter of retributions. He knew his attackers' voices and could say which houses they belonged to. He would get them in good time, especially Finnigan.

Then there was the Weasel, the one who found him helpless and then turned the other way, delivering him to what may have been a grisly and merciless fate. The Weasel deserved no succor, because he gave none. Trapped in the eternal, changeless past, the Weasel could not imagine a time when it might be profitable to know Draco.

Still, the Weasel was Hermione's boyfriend and Harry's best friend. In all good faith, he could not get proper revenge on the Weasel without affecting his friends.

So Ron Weasley would get a reprieve. Draco decided to blatantly ignore the Weasel King from now on. He would not spare him a glance for as long as he lived, and maybe someday, Ron would be lying around somewhere, helpless, and this time it would be Draco who walked away and left him to his fate.

Narcissa sauntered into the room, fuming a little; Lucius and Jason were plotting somewhere! They were like a pair of kids sometimes! Antonia and she had really their hands full dealing with these overgrown kids. Talking about Antonia, she wanted to call her on this cell phone they gave her, but apparently it wouldn't work in Hogwarts!

Narcissa smirked when she saw Draco alert. She felt pleased her only child had weathered that particular storm. Perhaps she would be able to go on her scheduled visit to St. Othilde's Orphanage on Wednesday?

Narcissa called a house-elf and told her to bring Draco some light breakfast. Draco started eating lackadaisically, more to please his mother than out of real hunger. He asked about his friends, and Narcissa told him what she had heard of their adventures trying to rescue him.

After he had finished his breakfast, and facing Narcissa's scowl, Draco asked if Liz Lehmke, the ombudswoman, could be contacted.

Narcissa frowned, but left to do his bidding, all the time muttering under her breath that Lucius had better come soon, or else he'd face the wrath of a Black.

An hour later, the door to the Infirmary opened and Liz Lehmke walked in. She said, "I'm sorry for your ordeal, Draco. If there is something I can do to help, let me know."

Draco sat up in his bed, apparently still weak from the concussion and he started, "Well, there is something you could help me with, Liz.

"You see, there were students from all Houses in the group that attacked me. I'm sure by now Seamus Finnigan has blabbed like the coward he is and he's given their names. I'm also sure he will be protected by the zealous Headmistress. McGonagall will do everything in her power to make sure that nothing happens to _poor_ Seamus."

Liz interrupted, a little uncertain, "Are you sure, Draco? Would McGonagall do that?"

Draco replied, "She sure would. She was one of the few who knew about the dastardly trick Sirius Black played on my godfather, luring him to be maimed and killed by an uncontrolled werewolf. She let them go scot free. She was the one who caught the teacher red-handed, the one who transfigured me into a ferret. She just halfheartedly scolded him and left it at that.

"She is also the one who, together with the other Heads of Houses, dutifully ambushed and almost killed their Headmaster, as the confrontation between the Light and the Dark heated up.

"So you see, I'm pretty sure she will do what she wants, when she wants it, duty be damned!

"I'm sure she will let Seamus go scot free. I entreat you, therefore, to look out for the welfare of a simple Slytherin. His name is Elias Flint, and he was among those who captured me."

Liz gasped and, startled, looked at Draco with evident surprise, "You want me to help one of your assailants?"

"Yes, I do. Allow me to explain. Elias's uncle and cousin are in Azkaban. They'll remain there for a long time. He's asked for my help, but I was unable to get them free. They still swear by Voldemort.

"I can imagine that the persons responsible for this plot offered him the liberty of his family. Elias jumped at the chance to help them and participated in the whole exercise.

"You may ask, how do I know this so surely? I know because that was exactly the _modus operandi_ of Voldemort, when he dangled the safety of my family in front of my eyes. I knew that I had to toe the line, or he'd kill them mercilessly.

"I see Elias, and I can imagine myself in that position, because it is one I intimately know. I cannot, I will not allow this mistake to ruin his future. It is not fair that a person like Seamus Finnigan, who is operating out of prejudice, gets to go free while a person acting under incredible duress like Elias gets to pay for the broken plates.

"Therefore I beg you, Liz, to watch out for this lonely boy. Not only now, but hopefully in the years ahead, when I have graduated and left Hogwarts. Watch out for him, so his future at least reaches its full potential!"

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Late in the afternoon, someone knocked timidly at the door. When Draco bade them enter, the door opened and a bashful Lavender Brown went to Draco's bed.

The Gryffindor seemed more calm. She radiated some kind of inner contentment that had been absent before. She brushed her blond hair from her face and sat in the chair next to Draco's bed.

Draco asked gently, "How are you doing, Lavender?"  
"I'm fine, Draco. I'm sorry about the attack my former fiancé suffered. It must have been ghastly."

"It was, Lavender. Luckily I survived."  
The blonde Gryffindor said wistfully, "Do you know McGonagall offered me a teaching position at Hogwarts?"

"That's great, Lavender. Which position?"  
"Divination. I've always had a flair for it."

Draco timidly commented, "Do you have visions?"

Lavender replied, "No, not visions. What I have is dreams. For a while I dreamed of a blond man who showed me what love is. We had a beautiful blond boy, and fighting against mysterious forces, we remained together. Those dreams disappeared some time ago.

"Now I dream of a black-haired boy. The dreams are unclear, but there is certain tenderness there."

Draco sighed and held Lavender's hand. He said, "Any one would be lucky to have you. You have smarts and courage. You are resourceful. Since you are going to be a teacher, could I ask you to watch someone for me? I'm sure you will know who it is when you meet him in your classroom."

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On Monday, Draco received the visit of Hermione. The bushy-haired witch came bearing gifts: the homework to be done for the classes Draco had missed. Hermione put the parchment containing the Map in the middle, as she explained patiently to Draco how they had managed to find him.

Hermione said, "The rooms had a notice-me-not charm especially strong. We would never have found them without the Map!"  
Draco commented, "Teddy operated the Map? I'm not surprised; he looks like a Black through and through, not unlike that vindictive grandmother of his!"

As Draco explained what had happened to him, under the intense gaze of Hermione, he realized he couldn't tell her that her fiancé had left him to die. He owed it to his friendship with her to keep mum.

The Weasel seemed to care for her, and she for him. So he would not say anything about their little encounter.  
As Hermione was leaving, Draco asked her to please fetch Elias Flint for him. Hermione scowled and nodded. She left the room, thankful that she was helping her friend in the road to recovery, and insuring he kept up with schoolwork.

Twenty minutes later, a diffident Elias Flint came in. The dark-haired Slytherin appeared contrite and fragile.

Draco bade him to sit down. Elias started apologizing profusely for what he had done. Draco interrupted him and asked what had transpired in relation to McGonagall.

The younger Slytherin commented that McGonagall wanted to expel him and send him to the Aurors, but Liz Lehmke prevented that. The ombudswoman explained succinctly that fairness should always be applied. She marveled that Seamus Finnigan was not punished in any way; she intimated that the unfair wheeling and dealing in Hogwarts would become widely known if the Headmistress persisted in her common folly of blaming the Slytherins.

At the end Liz Lehmke threatened a hearing about what had really happened the night the former Headmaster was forced to flee Hogwarts and searched for sanctuary in the Shrieking Shack, where he was killed by Nagini. She talked about ambushes laid by the supposedly stout and faithful Heads of Houses, who turned out to be as loyal as any Wormtail.

Here McGonagall paled and promptly conceded the demands of the ombudswoman. Elias Flint remained free.

The blond Slytherin said, "You made a mistake, Elias. You cared about your family so much, that other people noticed that and used that love to manipulate you to do their bidding.

"I know because someone did the same to me. Now it is the time to look toward the future. For better or for worse, your uncle and cousin will remain in Azkaban and there is nothing you can do, unless it is joining them there. I'm sure neither of them would like that.

"They would like you to continue your life, to grow old and keep up the Flint traditions. You can do that.  
"They tell me your trust fund has been set up. You will not have to worry for money."

Elias interrupted, "But everyone will know I betrayed you. They will all hate me!"

Draco replied serenely, "You are wrong, Elias. Most people don't care what happens to us anymore. Many people will be proud of you for trying to get me, they would have been happy to crow that the dastardly Malfoys deserved what they got. If anything, they will be angry that the plot failed and I'm still around to inflame them with my sarcastic wit and brilliant perorations." Here Draco stopped to exchange a smile with Elias, which imperceptibly changed into a smirk.

Draco continued, "The ones who might be really angry at you are my friends, and they will listen to me when I ask them to leave the past behind. So don't worry on that score."

Draco said, "I would like you to go to Dervish and Banges, the magical shop in Hogsmeade. Mr. Joseph Dervish, the owner, is looking for someone interested in magical machines. I noticed that you seem to have a thorough grasp of the subject, so it will be profitable for you to meet with him.

"Next year, you'll have a new Divinations teacher, whom you might find interesting."

Draco inwardly smirked, thinking about his subtle manipulations going into play and turning things all right for Elias. Then the blond mentally slapped himself, he was starting to sound exactly like that loony Albus Dumbledore. Any moment now he would offer Elias some Lemon Drops. There is no way he would emulate the former Headmaster this way!

Draco bade Elias good-bye, and the brunet Slytherin exited the room with a faint smile.  
Half an hour later, Draco received the latest visit of the day, a thoughtful Harry Potter.

Harry went to Draco, hugged him and kissed him fiercely. Draco wanted to respond in kind, but he felt tired, so very tired. Madam Pomphrey kept giving him blood strengthening potions, and they took their toll on him.

Harry reclined on the bed behind him, and toying with his blond hair, said, "I'm sorry I didn't act at first, Draco, but I was somehow convinced that you were at the Manor.  
"Later, though, when you didn't show up, I felt like shit, literally. I wanted to find you so much, I wanted to help you.

"Nothing we did worked. The teachers searched and found nothing, we searched and found nothing. I've never felt so helpless before, not even while investigating Voldemort's artifacts. Luckily I noticed when Teddy activated the Serpent's Map, and we were able to find you and rescue you on time, or I don't know what I would have done."

Harry waved the Elder wand and murmured an incantation to make the bed larger. He proceeded to transform his clothes into pajamas and laid down beside Draco, gently spooning him and crooning pleasantries in his ears, until the two fell asleep.

During this night, Seamus apparently fell down the stairs. He had several broken ribs that needed magical attention. Everybody thought it was an accident. During the days and weeks that followed, several people had similar accidents, enough that concerned parents asked that something be done about it.

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**December 9th, 1998  
Hogwarts**

On Wednesday, Draco returned to classes, and if people turned to stare or gawk at him, he was used to it. He sat down at the Hufflepuff table and all his friends were there: Susan accompanied by Robert, Justin and Daphne, Hannah and Dean, a forlorn-looking Terry who had not received any recent communication from Pansy, Hermione, Ginny and Harry.

Draco greeted them and they fell to eating ravenously. The owls with the mail came in, and a particularly handsome tawny owl dived and made for Draco. The blond quickly offered the owl some bacon and untied the parchment. After unobtrusively casting the spell in Portuguese that would unravel the cryptographic nightmare the parchment originally was, Draco read it:

_Draco_

_Please convey my gratitude to your friends who stood by you in your hour of need. To celebrate the final days of the year, your mother and I would love to have their presence in the Manor. Could you please invite Mr. Finch-Fletchley, Miss Bones and Miss Abbott, Miss Granger and Miss Weasley, Mr. Lehmke, Mr. Potter and Mr. Boot? If they want to invite some other person that would be delightful. Please inform Mr. Finch-Fletchley that his father and mother have confirmed their presence for the holidays._

_Of course you can invite your Slytherin friends who are studying abroad._

_In my pride is my solace_

_Lucius_

Draco passed the letter around and everybody read it. Ginny commented sarcastically, "Well, Lucius does retain his characteristics, doesn't he?"

Draco asked irritated, "What do you mean?"

"That part '_In my pride is my solace'_ sounds right arrogant to me!"

Hermione commented, "Really, Ginny, maybe Lucius is playfully commenting on his leonine appearance. You know what a lion's pride is, right?"  
Ginny answered uncertainly, "Yes, well, his pride?"

Draco replied acerbically, "The family, the pack of a lion is called a pride."

Ginny gulped and looked away. Finally, to deflect attention from herself, she commented _sotto voce_ to Terry Boot, "Here's your chance, you can meet Pansy!"

Terry blushed and looked at Draco beseechingly. The blond answered the unspoken comment rapidly, "Of course I will invite her, together with Greg Goyle and Blaise Zabini!"

The Hufflepuffs readily agreed to go, provided they could invite their prospective partners. When Draco looked at Ginny, though, she shook her head. Ginny said, "I can't go, Draco. I'm sorry but I have to go to the Burrow and stay with my family. I know this will be a particularly bittersweet and painful time for us, having to endure Fred's absence, and I must be there with them, helping as much as I can."

Hermione nodded, thankful that at least she had a good excuse not to go to the Manor. She still could not forget her experiences there as she was tortured by that madwoman Bellatrix. Some time would have to pass before she was ready to face those demons.

Hermione said, "Like Ginny, my place is at the Burrow. I have to console Ron. He's still suffering from Fred's loss. I can not leave him alone. I'm sorry, Draco."

Harry added his voice, "I am also sorry, Draco. I can not leave my adopted family to face these trying times alone. I think our presence will help them to realize that life goes on, that the sacrifices were worth it, if only so family could survive the growing darkness.

"You will be on my mind as we enjoy Mrs. Weasley's delicious cooking. I will be thinking of you as we exchange our Christmas presents. I'll think of you as we usher in the New Year. It's what I do anyway. Being close or far apart is almost immaterial."

Sighing, Draco took out his parchments and quills and quickly wrote short notes to Goyle and Pansy in Durmstrang and Blaise in Beauxbatons. He whistled and some minutes later his owl Osiris flew in. Before tying the parchments, he thrust one towards Terry and said, "I want you to write a covering letter, Terry."

The Ravenclaw blushed and was seemingly tongue-tied. Draco pushed gently, "Come on! Say something nice to Pansy, like how you expect to see her soon!"

The dark-haired student took out his own quill and quickly penned a note to the parchment directed to Pansy. Then Draco grabbed it, and together with the others, tied them to the owl's leg and said, "To Greg Goyle and Pansy Parkinson in Durmstrang, and afterwards, to Blaise Zabini in Beauxbatons. Take some days between deliveries; we don't want to raise you from the dead, Osiris!"

Osiris glared at Harry mistrustfully, because he was one of the owls used by the Eagle Animagus to practice hunting. Then the owl pecked affectionately Draco's hand and flew away.

They watched the hazy figure of the owl as he flew through the open windows and disappeared, comfortably riding an updraft that leisurely took him to the clouds and beyond.

tbc


	18. Chapter 18

**December 18th, 1998  
Hogwarts**

Draco was with Hermione at the Library. They were trying to cram some reading so they could leave for their holidays fully prepared, or so Hermione claimed. Draco would go to the Manor and Hermione to the Burrow. They were in high spirits, joking around, bantering back and forth and having fun.

Suddenly the door to the Library opened and an irate-looking Andromeda Tonks entered. She was carrying Teddy, and as usual, she made for their position. She stopped in front of Hermione and, as was her wont, completely ignored Draco. The Tonks woman asked Hermione to care for Teddy while she ran some errands. Hermione indicated that she had things to do, but surely Draco…

Andromeda interrupted saying, "Do not speak to me of that scoundrel, Ms. Granger! I wish I'd never met the lot of them!" Draco, who had avidly followed their exchange, was truly exhausted by his Aunt's demeaning ways, her attempts to belittle him. He decided he would not take anymore abuse from her.

Draco shouted, "Shut up, Aunt! Yes, you heard correctly, Aunt! Do not worry, you won't have to listen to me for a long time, I will speak now and this will be the last time you will ever hear me, I promise you that!"

Draco continued relentlessly, "You have ignored my mother's attempts to put the past behind us. You have belittled me as much as you could. You ignore my presence or treat me like the scum that is at the bottom of the lake. No more!  
"From now on you will be forever removed from the memories of the Malfoys. You wished you'd never met us, well, your wish is granted. We will ignore you. To us, you don't count anymore; you're only the shadow of what used to be.

"So I take my leave of you, former aunt. Never speak to any Malfoy again! Go forth and venture into the world like an embittered and lonely old woman, which is exactly what you are!"

Draco finished this last roaring in anger. Teddy was bawling desperately and with his tiny fists, was beating on Andromeda's shoulder. The witch turned to try to calm down Teddy. She had partially succeeded and the now platinum blond toddler was crying softly, when she turned to talk with Draco. She realized the blond had already left.

Hermione sent her an unsympathetic glance and then she too went out and walked away from the Library.

Teddy was now sobbing desperately and it was then that Andromeda realized what she had done. She had alienated _Teddy's last living relatives_. The succor Teddy would have found with her sister and nephew, it was gone. It was inexorably destroyed by her relentless drive to relive the past.

As she rocked Teddy to and fro and tried to calm the crying toddler, she knew she was as bad as her daughter and her love. Teddy's parents had seemingly abandoned their baby to look for glory or absolution in that damned Final Battle. Teddy's grandmother had neglected him in more insidious ways, like using him to further a personal vendetta.

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During lunch, Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione went to gather their things in Gryffindor Tower. After shrinking and pocketing their baggage, they made their way to the gates of Hogwarts. There, just outside the wards, they Apparated to the Burrow.

A crying Mrs. Weasley was soon hugging them fiercely, welcoming them home. Mrs. Weasley said, "Poor dears, I bet you haven't eaten enough. Come, Ginny and Ron, let's get the meal ready!"

Ron tried to protest feebly, "But mother, I am tired, I want to lie down."  
Molly replied, "Nonsense, dear!"  
She shouted, "Come on, George, Bill and Charlie, your siblings, Harry and Hermione are here!"

Soon they were greeted by George. It seemed like he had chosen his clothes haphazardly, he looked a little gaunt and sad, but he hugged Harry fiercely. Meanwhile Hermione was embraced by Bill. He wore tan trousers and a white button down shirt. Fleur was spending the holidays with her parents in France, and Bill expected to visit them on Boxing Day.

A diffident Charlie embraced his brother, and then his sister. Charlie was wearing a knee-length dragon leather jacket, with black pants and dragonhide boots. He also wore a dragon-shaped earring.

Charlie said, "Percy is not home. He usually comes late from his work at the Ministry. He generally comes back with dad. We don't expect them for some hours."

Molly looked at them appraisingly and said, "Now that I have you all here at once, the garden hasn't been degnomed since you left for school. Perhaps it is time to do it. Ginny and I will bring you Pumpkin juice and a piece of cake, after you have performed your task, of course."

Ginny smirked as she watched his brothers' look of surprised indignation. She was flabbergasted to see Harry smirk fleetingly. Her curiosity perked, she decided to pay extra attention to Harry.

The degnoming took some hours. Her brothers grew sweaty and they took off their shirts, yet Harry remained comfortably cool. Stealthily, Ginny approached the former Gryffindor Seeker and was astonished to note that he could throw off the gnomes only by looking at them. He didn't grab them and threw them away physically, it seemed magical. In fact, it looked like wandless magic was used, because Ginny couldn't see any wand.

When Ginny confronted Harry about it, the wizard said, "Yes, I can use a little wandless magic. This time I used it because I was tired, and it was fun to watch your brothers wrestle with the gnomes, when I dispatched mine efficiently. I don't use it often because it is tiring."

Harry shared George's room. That night, long after he had fallen into an uneasy sleep, Harry was woken up by the sounds of sobs coming from George's bed. Harry took out the Elder wand and used the Lumos spell.

He saw that George was crying in his sleep. He woke him up, and the redhead admitted that he was dreaming about Fred and his untimely death.

When George asked in a broken voice why his brother had died, Harry answered, "I don't know, George. So many people died, so many wasted lives, so many opportunities lost. I like to think that they died so that we could aspire to live better. It wasn't really only me that vanquished Voldemort, but the effort of many thousands of people, including those dear to us who offered their lives so that others could live.

"We live to fight another day, and that is the best monument that we can offer to our cherished departed ones."

After George fell into an uneasy sleep, Harry went down the stairs, opened the door and went out. He walked to the garden and transformed into his Animagus form.

The eagle soared above the Burrow and he made a leisure circuit over Ottery St. Catchpole. He noted with interest the different constellations and he forgot about his troubles for a while.

He saw in the distance a landmark near Luna's house and he flew in that direction. Suddenly, he noticed a strange red point moving across his breast. He was at a loss what that meant until he remembered about high-tech weapons. The point was caused by a laser, and he might be about to be shot!

Harry panicked and then remembered the convenient Invisibility spell Draco had told him about, after he used judiciously a Tickling charm or two on the blond. Harry cast the spell wandlessly and the eagle became invisible.

Unfortunately, the invisible eagle had some trouble flying. Harry could not see his wings, and that took away from his innate flying abilities. Finally he reached Luna's home and he prepared to land, but unfortunately, because he couldn't see his legs, he stumbled and staggered, until he was caught in some kind of net.

Three minutes later, a figure approached the invisible eagle. The figure had blond hair, and she started speaking, "I knew my Snorkack trap would function some day. Come on, Snorkie, come on, don't be shy and drop your invisibility.

"I have a treat for you, here!" Luna shoved a mouse into the net. Harry was tempted to eat the luscious mouse, or at least his eagle part, but his human part overrode that imperative.

Luna continued trying to cajole the shy Snorkack to show its face. Finally Harry got tired of listening to the outlandish blonde and changed into his human form, at the same time, he cancelled the invisibility spell.

When Luna realized that it was Harry in the net, she said, "Oh, Harry, I never knew you had this problem."

A disgruntled Harry said, "What problem, Luna?"

The blonde freed the Gryffindor from the net and she continued unperturbed, "I'm sure there are support groups for cases like you, Harry."

Harry glared at Luna and said, "What do you think is my problem, Luna?"

Luna approached Harry and twirled her blond hair as she answered, "I won't tell a soul, Harry. I won't tell anyone you are a were-snorkack."

Harry's eyes widened as he tried to suppress his guffaws. Finally he asked, "Why do you think I am a were-snorkack, Luna?"

"Well, you were in my Snorkack trap. Suddenly there was a Snorkack there and several minutes later, you. What conclusions can I draw?"

After a lengthy discussion, Harry gave up trying to change Luna's mind. They started talking about their friends. Luna noticed that Harry was tired, he was almost falling asleep.

She said, "You're staying with the Weasleys, right?"

Harry nodded. Luna commented, "You should go back and grab some sleep. Why don't you Apparate to the Burrow?"

Harry nodded and he prepared to Apparate when Luna said, "I'll keep our secret, Snorkie."

Harry snorted and Apparated away. As soon as he made it to the bed he fell deeply asleep

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**December 18th, 1998  
Hogwarts**

After lunch, the Hufflepuff gang had collected itself in a room just off the big staircase leading to Gryffindor Tower. Hannah, Susan, Justin, Terry, Robert, Dean and Daphne were creating general mayhem as Draco tried valiantly to unroll a hose-pipe, among the catcalls of his friends. Susan silently helped the blond with the cumbersome thing. She had witnessed the Andromeda-Draco confrontation and she commented, "Weren't you a little hasty with your aunt?"

Draco kept the hose-pipe moving along as he said, "She's done what she could to hurt us. Now we won't have to care about her anymore. She can do what she wants; I'm through being her relative!"

Amid the derring-do of the helpful Hufflepuffs, who seemed rather intent in derailing the blond's attempts to unroll the thing, they managed to grab a piece each and were duly transported to the Manor. They arrived in the Eastern Parlor, and were greeted by their genial hosts, Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy, and the Finch-Fletchleys, Jason and Antonia.

Narcissa kissed Draco and shook the hands of everyone. Lucius bowed and saluted them with his cane. Jason and Antonia went to their son, hugged him, said hello to Daphne and were introduced to those they didn't know.

Amidst the hubbub, Draco approached Terry. He nudged his elbow and said theatrically, "She's coming soon, Terry. Though I still can't visualize why you like her so."  
"I just do, Draco. She's so intense, passionate and honest!"

Draco replied, "She is rather like a mix between Hermione and Hannah. You know how they are when they get angry. She's intense, all right. She's also my friend, and I'd better shut up, because if she catches me speaking about her, things will look dim for me."

Then the friends from overseas started appearing. First in was Greg Goyle. The hulking young man appeared to have lost some weight. Draco noticed with interest that the former Slytherin had let his hair grow to his shoulders. If he remembered correctly, that was one thing Mr. Goyle Sr. had forbidden him to do, arguing that in a fist fight, long hair would prove disadvantageous.

Since Goyle Sr. was in Azkaban, maybe Greg was finally free of his influence.  
Next to appear was Pansy Parkinson. The former Slytherin had her hair styled in a bob, she wore a simple knee-length velour dress, with tiny pieces of jewelry sawn in, perhaps signifying stars. She had pump heels and a silver bracelet on her left wrist. An elf appeared behind her, trailing several trunks, which Draco took to be Pansy's baggage. He motioned for the elf to proceed and said, "The usual place, Carlyle."

Pansy launched herself at him and hugged him fiercely. Finally, Draco managed to break free and said, "I'd like you to meet the gang, Pansy, you of course know Susan Bones, Hannah Abbott, Terry Boot, Justin Finch-Fletchley and our own Daphne Greengrass. Standing next to Susan is Robert Lehmke, next to Hannah is of course Dean Thomas, Justin is between his parents Jason and Antonia Finch-Fletchley."

Draco waited with bated breath for the tenor of the confrontation coming up. He need not have worried, though. Susan and Hannah stepped forward and shook Pansy's hand, while Daphne hugged her, Justin clapped her shoulder. Terry stood mutely back, and everyone else greeted Pansy.

Draco observed the tongue-tied Ravenclaw and decided to speed things up a bit. He said, "Pans, would you mind taking Terry to the stables. He's always wanted to ride on a Pegasus. I know you could teach him all the ropes!"

Pansy nodded with a twinkle in her eyes that gave Draco pause. Maybe that meant she knew more than she let on.

Pansy and Terry left for the stables. Later Draco learned that Terry was not particularly agile riding winged horses. During his maiden flight, he almost flew over the Pegasus's head, and it was only the timely intervention of Pansy that kept him afloat.

The last oversea guest arrived. Blaise Zabini appeared; the former Slytherin had a beige button down shirt and grey trousers. He was wearing dragon-leather boots. As he took off his robe with easy confidence and hauteur, he snapped his fingers and called his house-elf Bagatelle. The harried-looking house-elf appeared, carrying even more trunks than Pansy's.

Draco called his house-elf Seymour and he bade him to help Bagatelle with the chore of transporting the trunks to Blaise's room.  
Blaise drawled as he shook Draco's hand firmly, "Nice to see you again, Draco! Sorry to hear about your kidnapping! Introduce me to your brave friends!"

After Blaise had greeted the others, they fell into discussing the changes at Hogwarts, the old friends and enemies, the new friendships. When things threatened to become quite heated with some boys supporting this and that Quidditch team against the opposition of the others, Hannah saved the day asking, "Blaise, is it true that you are very fond of a dragon?"

When Blaise blushed, Susan continued, "Not a live one, of course, but a stuffed one!"

They were interrupted by the arrival of the final guest. Astoria Apparated to the Parlor and greeted all of them. She searched anxiously for one face, and not finding her, asked, "What happened to Hermione and Ginny?"

Justin answered, "They said they were needed at the Burrow, to help the family cope with the loss of Fred. They're not coming."  
Astoria's face fell, and Susan added, "However, you could send them a magical photo using the camera that I know a certain someone is getting for me this Christmas." Susan pointedly stared at a gulping Robert, as Astoria essayed a weak smile.

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That night, after an exhausting dinner with the kids, Narcissa and Lucius were playing poker with Jason and Antonia. The Malfoys had tried to teach the Finch-Fletchleys the rudiments of _Exploding Snap_, but when their eyebrows were singed, both Narcissa and Antonia put their feet down.

Lucius had then suggested a game of Wizarding Chess, but after eyeing warily the ferocious-looking towers and bishops, Jason turned him down politely.

So the parents were reduced to playing this Muggle game, and if Narcissa and Lucius were a little unaware of the rules, or perhaps didn't know them at all, that didn't take any of the fun away from the game, in the opinion of the Finch-Fletchleys.

They were readying for a third hand, after a patient Antonia explained to Lucius again that four aces did not overrule her four kings. After all, aces were things, how could they be superior to men?  
To distract Lucius, Antonia commented, "So they are going to Salisbury tomorrow?"

Lucius replied, tapping absently his cane as he pondered this strange game, "Yes, they will buy their Christmas gifts. It's closer than Diagon Alley and in Liber Alley they will find all they want."

Jason commented, "What will they do the rest of the time?"  
Narcissa replied, "I expect they will play Quidditch."

Jason answered, "But they will get bored. Justin is already whining to me about missing his beloved movies. If only we could hook up a room here where electricity could work and they would see the movies in peace!"  
Lucius said, "Maybe we could ask them to help. Make it their project too, so they remain interested."

Taking a look at her cards and Lucius', the ash-blonde hastened to explain, "You see, Lucius, my hand is better because I have two couples! You only have four lonely kings. Sorry!"

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In the morning, they ate a hearty breakfast, and Draco couldn't help but notice how entranced Terry and Pansy seemed to be with each other. Greg seemed to enjoy Justin's and Susan's company and Blaise remained his usual sarcastic and suave self. It was great to have them back.

Astoria remained a little despondent at the absence of the Gryffindors, but the blonde had her sister with her, and Daphne managed to get a laugh out of her little sister every once in a while.

After they had eaten, Draco gave them coordinates so they could Apparate to Salisbury. He ended up taking Astoria in a Side-Along Apparition. The blonds arrived to a deserted street, to find their friends waiting for them.

Draco pointed to a fountain at the end of the alley. He said, "Tweak the gargoyle's mouth and the Wizarding part of town will appear. There are two main thoroughfares, Viscer Alley and Liber Alley. I suggest we start our shopping spree in Liber Alley and manage to end up in Viscer Alley, the experience can be daunting.

The group split in the girls, who visited the Quidditch shops, no doubt shopping for the Quidditch enthusiasts, and the boys, who visited the boutiques along the Alleys.

In the late morning sunny atmosphere, the old medieval cathedral projected a calming shadow over them, and the river Avon framed beautifully the part of the city they visited.  
When they finished shopping, the gang expected Draco to roll out a giant wheel or a hose-pipe or something. They were surprised when Draco did nothing like that and instead gave them coordinates to Apparate back to Malfoy Manor.

Robert asked, "But why didn't you give us these coordinates when we first got here, why use an unwieldy hose-pipe?"  
Draco smirked as he answered, "My dear Lehmke, it was necessary! The Manor has wards that prevent unauthorized Apparition. That first time, you had to show up by other means, until such a time as we keyed you to the wards. Now there is no need for wheels or some such thing, when you can Apparate there."

When they returned to the Manor, Seymour served them refreshments, and afterwards Draco suggested going to the stables and riding some of the fine equine exemplars available. He noticed how Terry stumbled back at the mention of the horses, and how Pansy supported his elbow, all the while glaring at him. Draco continued hurriedly, "And if you don't like riding Pegasi, there are always normal horses you can ride. That reminds me to tell you that there are anti-Animagus wards around the Manor. So don't try turning into your animal, if you have a form!"

Susan asked, "Why are there such wards?"  
Draco replied, "Immediately after the war's end, when we were still under house arrest, a character named Timothy Toothcomb worked in the stables. Fortunately I was deeply suspicious, followed him one day and saw him turn into a horse, he ran away. The next night I followed him and found out that he had several buddies, with whom he was planning to rob the Manor and murder us."

As they were walking to the stables, Draco continued explaining, "You don't have to worry about getting lost. If you lose your way, your horse or Pegasus will know the way back. If you get to the edges of the property, the wards will not let you go."

They arrived to the stables and met the caretaker, John Gorman, and his assistant, Jenny Raube. They were promptly helped to choose the best mount: Draco, Blaise, Justin, Hannah, Astoria and Daphne chose pegasi.  
The rest decided to ride normal horses.

Soon Justin and Hannah were flying across the blue sky, feeling as free as they'd ever felt. They wanted to express this joy and immediately thought about bomb diving their friends. Fortunately Blaise caught them before they approached the other riders. The dark-haired former Slytherin said, "Watch out what you are doing! If you approach the other horses stealthily, you may scare them so they rear and possibly throw your friends off their backs. Horses are sometimes skittish creatures, you know!"

Abashed, Justin and Hannah continued their flight. Blaise's Pegasus was startled by a heavy body approaching from above. A drawling voice reached the black Slytherin, "Well done, Blaise! It would be even better if I didn't believe you were planning to dive bomb the other horse riders soon!"

Blaise laughed, a deep, earthy rumble, and he answered, "You know me very well, Draco."  
The blond asked, "How are things at Beauxbatons?"

"Things are fine. The South of France is breathtaking. The weather is very hot, though. The school is somewhat boring without all of you crazy characters to enliven our days. Promise you will visit soon, Draco! Promise or I will haunt you forever and a day when I die of boredom!"

Dutifully Draco promised. Then they engaged the other pegasi riders in some fancy flying exercises.

When they tired from flying, they returned the pegasi to the stables, where Gorman and Raube took good care of them, grooming carefully their wings and anxiously searching for any possible wound, however minuscule, sustained while flying.  
They learned that the horse riders had returned a while ago and they were at the Manor.

When they made their way back to the Parlor, they learned that Robert and Dean had been thrown off their horses. Apparently the sports enthusiasts had been teasing each other and the horses became nervous. Fortunately, no damage occurred to the students, except to their pride.

After dinner, Lucius and Jason spoke to Justin and Draco. During his father's talk, Draco couldn't help but notice the distinct air of innocence emanating from Lucius. In his mind's eye, this was suspicious, very suspicious.

It turned out that Lucius and Jason had a problem. Apparently they wanted a room free of magic, where they could set up a television and video playback equipment so they could watch movies.

Of course Draco wanted to help, the one film he had seen so far, "The usual suspects" had been pretty good. Justin just salivated at the thought.

Soon they told the others and seemingly everybody had an idea they wanted to try, these suggestions went from the commonplace, '_no wands in the room'_ from Robert, to the esoteric '_Feng Shui to direct the room's energy_' from Hannah, to the practical '_create a magical barrier around the room'_ from Greg.

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On Christmas Day, they had a fine snowball fight near the edge of the stables. There were no winners, because the supposedly winning team comprised of Blaise, Pansy, Astoria, Justin and Susan, after having won the day, fell to launching snowballs against each other.

The winners Blaise and Justin soon succumbed to their own nefarious plans and fell to the combined rage of their wet victims. So no one won.

Later, after a reinvigorating sip or two of hot chocolate, the students played lackadaisically _Exploding Snap_ until Justin suggested they play poker. Alarmed, Jason and Antonia watched in horrid fascination as his offspring introduced the wizards and witches to the rules of poker, in front of Lucius and Narcissa.

Justin concluded, "So you see, the most valuable cards are the aces, followed by the kings, queens and jacks, and then the others with the numbers."

Lucius asked incredulously, "So if I have four kings I win over two jacks and two queens?"  
Justin answered, "Correct, Mr. Malfoy! Your four figures are more valuable."

Antonia felt trapped between wanting to wrap her hands around her curly-haired offspring's throat, and wanting to praise him for explaining the rules of poker so succinctly. She chose to do nothing.  
Jason was particularly anxious, however, when he saw Lucius smirk with glee.

The blond was smirking because he had finally found someone who could outsmart him, while still –presumably- caring for him. This opened up exciting possibilities. For too long his talents had been subservient to the will of weak-minded fools like his father and Voldemort. If he had someone as strong, as smart and as ruthless by his side as Jason apparently was, they could devote themselves to what they did best: playing the political game.

Meanwhile, no one noticed as Narcissa surreptitiously went to the Owlery and sent an owl; she used Osiris, although the owl appeared to want some respite from having flown to the Continent, to those far-away schools. A seemingly satisfied blonde joined their guests presently; her surprise would be ready soon, very soon.

Christmas dinner was a smörgåsbord. There was a wide array of dishes containing sweet-pickled herring, pickled herring with onions, mustard, dill, Swedish meatballs, salmon, pies, salads, sliced herring, potatoes and onions baked in cream, eggs, bread, boiled and fried potatoes and many other delicacies.

The guests approached the table and prepared themselves gargantuan sandwiches featuring the most appetizing cuts.

Draco sat between Pansy, who had Terry on her right, and Justin, who had Daphne sitting on his left side. Surrounded thus by his old and new friends, Draco felt secure, although he could almost feel the shark swimming around the palisade.  
Later in the night, Narcissa asked Lucius worriedly. "Are you sure you want to do this, Lucius?"

The blond replied, "As sure as I can be about anything. It's something I want to do for myself, not to please you, or even Draco, but to do what is right."

Narcissa kissed Lucius, and soon they fell asleep.

tbc


	19. Chapter 19

**December 25th, 1998  
Malfoy Manor**

After they had breakfast in the dining room, the gang retired to a smaller, cozier room at the end of the North Wing, where a small Christmas tree had been set up. Susan and Justin directed the handing out of presents, claiming it was their solemn duty as Head Boy and Girl.

The others proceeded to throw cushions at them, when the original ones ran out, they conjured some new ones. At the end, Draco and Hannah handed out the presents.

Draco noticed that Narcissa and Antonia seemed to be missing from the festivities and decided to find out why as soon as possible.  
As Draco opened a present from Terry, Lucius suddenly stood up. He looked nervous as he tapped his cane around the floor. A quick glance at Jason seemed to cheer him up.

Lucius told Draco to follow him. They went to the next room and Lucius bade him sit down. Then the elder Malfoy glanced nervously left and right as he started, "You know that after the First War and the fall of Voldemort, I had medical examinations, seeing as I couldn't father another child. The tests indicated that as the result of all that Dark Magic, I couldn't have any more children."

Lucius glanced at his watch as he continued, "But lately, there has been an opportunity. A chance for us to extend our family and have a wonderful addition to it."

Draco's face lit up. One of the things he wanted most of all was having a little brother or sister. Someone to care for, someone to order around. Well, better late than never!  
"Mother is going to have a child!"

Lucius commented, "No, Draco. The Healers were right that time. Neither your mother nor I can have more children. However, your mother and I can raise another child."

The door opened suddenly. Narcissa and Antonia strode regally in, behind Narcissa, almost hiding in her skirts, was a small child, with brown hair and blue eyes. The child looked to be very timid. Narcissa sat down next to Draco, and put the small girl close to her, without touching her but at a safe distance.

She explained, "I found this delightful girl when I was going shopping. She was a Muggleborn, and she was being abused by her caretakers. I took her to St. Othilde's Orphanage, hoping she would find a nice home.

"Unfortunately the beatings left psychological scars, and she hasn't been able to find people who would honestly care for her. I've been visiting the Orphanage, and it just broke my heart to see this nice girl live an unnoticed life in the dark.  
"I could not let it go like this. I consulted with Lucius, and we both decided we would adopt her.

"We filled the forms, and after a lengthy consideration, they consented in the adoption. Today she was allowed to come home to us.

"I'm convinced that love is what saved us amidst the horrible darkness we endured last year, Draco. When we were about to give up, love threw us to the other side, the safe side. If I hadn't had Lucius and you, I would have just let go and welcomed death.

"Our love saved us. When there is a chance that it can save another life, who am I to say no? So please greet your sister, Miriam Malfoy!"

Draco bowed deeply, but made no move to approach Miriam directly. He knew she would be distrustful of everyone at this stage. He had some experience dealing with cases of abuse, considering Harry and his year-long abuse at the hands of the Dursleys. There were certain moments when Harry had a faraway look in his face, and he hated to be touched in such moments.

Draco also recalled his own trying times with Voldemort, how there were moments when he wanted to rock in his chair back and forth and pretend the world did not exist.

So Draco ordered the house-elf Seymour to put a small desk within reaching distance of Miriam. He also requested a small chair and sat down on the other side. He unobtrusively waved his Hawthorne wand and conjured some parchment and quills of different colors. He also conjured a plushie, a brown dragon.

Draco started to draw, and he placed some parchments and colors suspiciously close to Miriam. Draco mused that he was really a bad artist, all the drawings he could finish looked like stick figures, and if he tried to paint faces, they ended up looking Cubist, when that was not what he intended to do.

Miriam got curious as she observed what Draco was doing. She seemingly took comfort from the fact that Draco drew so badly, even the children at the Orphanage could draw better!

Draco would have been secretly pleased at that small concession to Malfoy manners.  
Eventually Miriam grabbed some quills and parchment and started drawing things. She would show that silver-haired boy!

Draco unobtrusively pushed the brown dragon in her direction. After some minutes, Miriam grabbed it possessively and clutched it to her chest.

Lucius asked Miriam, "What is the name of your dragon, Miriam?"  
Miriam replied shyly, "He's called Conis."

Draco asked, "Why?"  
Miriam replied, conspicuously rolling her eyes, "Because that is the name of a dragon, Draconis, got that?"

Draco nodded. It seemed Miriam was well on her way to becoming a little sister: having her older brother wrapped around her fingers and being obnoxious and irreverent to said brother. Things were going to be normal.

Things would also be tough. Miriam would have to work through the consequences of being abused. But she would not do this alone; she would do this in the company of her family.

As they left the room, Narcissa started talking with Antonia about a favorite project of theirs.

As a result of witnessing Miriam's abuse, and knowing about Harry Potter's bad history with those damned Muggles from Draco's sarcastic comments, Narcissa was deeply worried about it being a trend. She wanted a way to catch the abuse early on, before it damaged the children so profoundly.

Antonia had invaluable contacts and experience in social work. Together the women were working towards implementing a Muggle-Magical surveillance net that would make sure the children were treated all right. This net would watch over all magical children, no matter if they were Pureblood or Muggleborn.

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Narcissa, Lucius and Draco showed Miriam to her room. The brunette girl was exhausted. After the elves brought food for Miriam, she and Draco had an early dinner. Then Narcissa read her a magical story and Miriam fell asleep.

The next day, Lucius and his children entered the room with the Christmas tree.  
He proceeded to tell the others about the new addition to the Malfoy family. Miriam sat beside her big brother, still clutching fiercely the brown dragon. Draco proceeded to tell Seymour to bring the desk and chairs there.

Presently the set up was as before and Draco was drawing horribly. Miriam seemed to forget about the strangers and started her own drawing of a stringy-looking blond.

Meanwhile, Lucius was voicing his doubts to a sympathetic Jason, "I worry if the Ministry will allow this adoption to go unchallenged. You know how they hate the Malfoys now. They might decide to jinx things."

Jason said reassuringly, "I've got your back, Lucius! If they dare to disrupt this, I will simply ask how many Muggleborns are abused per year. How many children have to suffer before the Minister does something? They will not know what hit them!"

The gang had approached the drawing Malfoys. Hannah asked Miriam, "What is the name of the blond boy you drew?"  
Miriam replied shyly, "Conis."

Draco snorted and replied, "Conis? Do you name everyone Conis? Here, take a look at my drawing." He motioned imperiously to the sickly-looking stick figures he'd drawn and said pointing at each one in turn, "Conis, and Conis, and last but not least, Conis."

Miriam snorted and stomped her foot, exactly as she had seen Narcissa do sometimes when she visited her at the Orphanage. She said calmly but irritably, "Only dragons have the name Conis!" She clutched her brown dragon, "You and Conis are dragons, so there!"

The onlookers just laughed out loud. Blaise kneeled next to Miriam and said, "Way to go! I can see you will make a great addition to the team! My name is Blaise Zabini."

"If you want to know a secret about him, I'll tell you." Blaise murmured softly in Miriam's ear. The girl giggled and a curious Draco wanted to know what the secret was.

Blaise observed the blond's concerned mien and commented, "Nothing to worry your head about, Draco. Just a personal weakness that we have been known to exploit." Seeing Draco get increasingly mad, Hannah whispered to him, "He probably told Miriam how ticklish you are. Now don't worry, we will not abuse that knowledge… much."

People introduced themselves to Miriam. The five-year old could not remember all their strange names. A dark-haired girl finally asked her, pointing towards the blond, "How do you know he is a dragon?"  
Miriam answered sadly, "His mother told me she had a son called Draconis, the Dragon, when she visited me at the Orphanage."

Draco smiled as he looked at little Miriam, "Correction, Miriam. _Our_ mother told you that. Just like very soon, _our _mother will take you in shopping sprees around Europe. I just hope you like them. Have I mentioned how glad I am that you are my sister?"

Draco was unceremoniously smacked upside the head by Astoria and Hannah.  
Miriam watched this with an amused mien and essayed a weak smile.

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In the Burrow, the mood was generally cheery, if a little subdued compared to past years. Mrs. Weasley bravely tried to put the best face, engaging strenuously against the pervading gloom.

The Burrow looked pristine, as always. The worn but clean furniture reflected the care put by Molly Weasley into creating a warm home for her children. The wood of the table and chairs gleamed brightly; from the walls, the pictures of the family looked at them fondly.

Earlier, they had opened their presents. Harry received a pair of dragonhide boots from Charlie, and a modified Sneakoscope from Ron, seeing as the old one seemed to go off every minute. The brunet also received a book from Hermione, a biography of Victor Hugo.

George gave him some pranks, of course. The redhead just smiled innocently at Harry as he insisted that the pranks were completely harmless and had no secondary effects whatsoever. George mumbled under his breath, "Unless if there are ferrets."

George hugged Harry as he said, "I am glad you are here, Harry. Seeing you, Ron, Hermione and Ginny reminds me of the good old times at Hogwarts. It hurts to be alone without my brother, but watching the gang; I know he would like me to go on. I'll never forget him, but I am honor bound to continue his life of mischief and pranks."

George moved a step away from Harry, as he surreptitiously wiped his cheeks with the palm of his hand.

Percy gave Harry a slim book containing Ministry regulations pertaining Hogwarts. It was a practical, if disappointing gift. Mrs. Weasley gave him one of her famous orange sweaters with his initial on it. Harry received from Mr. Weasley a portkey that would transport him to the Burrow. The portkey was a golden wrist watch.

Hermione received thoughtful gifts from the Weasleys, including a bracelet designed to counter malignant hexes, courtesy of George, and a beautiful sweater which Ron bought for her.

Ginny received great gifts from her family. Harry gave her a new _Strato_ broom, which she would use in her Quidditch matches. Hermione gave her a book, a biography of Queen Elizabeth I. More importantly, after they'd finished with the gifts and were going outside to play Quidditch, a sleek owl landed on her shoulder and presented his leg, with a small box attached to it. When Ginny opened it, she found a breathtaking set of earrings. Each earring was a pearl mounted in an exquisite silver frame.

Ginny knew who had sent her that gift, and she promised herself to give something back to that person.

They played Quidditch amidst the snow, after casting Warming Charms. At first they played on teams, Harry, George and Ron against Charlie, Percy and Ginny. The competition was fierce and the game exhilarating to all the participants, including an Animagus who now could fly even better.

After Harry caught the Snitch two times, the others, grumbling, decided to gang up on him. Still the brunet Gryffindor caught the Snitch again.  
Thereupon the Weasleys decided to play all against all. The game ended with an impromptu snowball fight, begun by Ron, who surreptitiously attacked Harry.

The Weasleys and Harry finally made it to the shelter of the Burrow, after they were thoroughly chastised by an angry Hermione. There a concerned Mrs. Weasley cast drying charms to get rid of the wet snow and plied them with hot chocolate and cookies.

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The next day, Hermione was in the living room, sitting on Mr. Weasley's favorite couch and trying to read a book about History of Magic. Ginny walked in five minutes later, rolling her eyes and smiling sympathetically in Hermione's direction. Mrs. Weasley had directed her, as usual, to degnome the garden.

Charlie entered a little later. The Dragon Tamer looked dashing as always, his long copper-colored hair framed beautifully the sharp angles of his face. He was wearing dragon-leather boots and old denims, together with a button down shirt. Bill was visiting his wife Fleur in a little town in Normandy.

Charlie took a seat opposite Ginny and asked her to play Wizarding Chess. Ginny agreed and they started playing.

Charlie seemed to be in a bad mood because they had been left all alone to degnome the garden. Molly had promised the help of Harry, Ron, and Percy, but none of these gits had shown up! He'd gone to complain to his father, but the elder Weasley was also absent, probably having work to do in the Ministry. George had left earlier that day, still working feverishly to keep open the store he'd opened with his Twin.

Ginny sympathized with Charlie's mood. She also noted how determinedly her father fulfilled his duties at the Ministry. Apparently having won the war did not abate his need for excellence. She also suspected that Harry and Ron just sensed when there was work to do and disappeared when they were most needed. Just like Ron to disappear at will!

Percy was probably off, doing Percy things. All in all, they left the work of the many, on the hands of the few.  
Two hours later the missing Weasleys and Potter returned, when there wasn't work to do, as an irritated Ginny noted mentally.

A while later a regal eagle owl tapped on the window, which was opened by Charlie. The owl flew to Ginny, bearing a thin box. After Ginny had provided the owl with a treat, he flew off.

Ginny proceeded to untie the string that held the package together and hoped that Draco – for this was his owl Osiris – would send her some refreshing news.

Indeed, there were several magical photos inside. One particularly caught her fancy: a breathless Astoria riding intrepidly what she surmised was a Pegasus. The blonde was laughing care-free and there was such an expression of joy in her face that gave Ginny pause.

The other photos depicted the gang doing common things – except the ones when they were riding pegasi – there were photos of them playing soccer, riding horses and a particularly interesting one of Pansy and Terry seemingly kissing.  
As the other Weasleys watched the photos, she saw Ron snort and scowl as he watched Draco riding a Pegasus.

Ginny sat next to Harry and whispered, "Missing Draco?"

"Yes, you don't know how much. I miss his face, his touch, his scowl. I miss the fleeting touch of his fingers upon my cheek, his mercurial moods, even his drawling words. But I must remain here for a while."

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Lucius invited Jason to his study after dinner. The blond poured each of them a glass of vintage Firewhiskey. Lucius sat down in his chair behind the desk, and Jason sat in front of him.  
Jason asked, "What is the news about the Marriage Law?"

Lucius answered, "The news is not good. Apparently the Deputy Minister is determined that the marriages go through. He has not listened to any words of advice regarding the Muggles' utter disavowal of the Marriage Law and their injunctions against proceeding with the forced marriages. In short, he will listen to no one, as is his wont, and will inexorably drag us down with him. The Minister has seen the light, but he is unable to stop this juggernaut. I expect Shacklebolt will resign soon."

"So what will we do?"  
"We'll pretend to comply. On January 12th, the people will be present to witness the so-called marriages, and then we will see if our research on the _geas _is correct or not!"

"What do you mean, Lucius?"  
"The will of the people as expressed by Parliament is clear. It is also simple to see that the _geas_ that the proud barons intended to cast on England in 1215 misfired, and instead of binding everyone to the barons, it bound everyone to the will of Parliament. The Deputy Minister of Magic is a fool if he thinks he can ignore that."

"Miss Granger believes that magic itself must bow to the _geas_, and I tend to agree with her. If all this is true, then the Deputy Minister doesn't have a clue about what will happen to him if he tries to break the _geas_."

Lucius continued on a different note, "Jason, would you be agreeable to keep working with me?"  
Jason widened his eyes in surprise and then duly nodded. He said, "Sure, Lucius, I'd be honored to. It's been fun playing politics with you, if only I could drag you to the Commons!"

Lucius bowed and sipped his drink. He said, "That's wonderful. I think we could deal with politics from the Muggle point of view. I find it fascinating and increasingly more practical than our side. I also think our boys will need us."

Jason nodded and also took a sip of his beverage, he answered, "Yes, they will. I also think it will help the Wizarding side in the long run."

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The next day, they were eating breakfast in the dining room. Draco noticed how Miriam sat slightly apart from them, still clutching her brown dragon.

He made a plan on the spot, and started to implement it, as was his wont. He said to Justin and Daphne, who were seating next to him, "Care to go for a ride in our brooms! It would be fun!"

Justin sat up and said, "It could be fun! Since we can't get the movie room right, this ought to prove interesting!"  
Daphne interrupted, "But what about your sister?"

Draco answered lazily, "Miriam could come with us! It'd be her first broom ride, this would be great!"  
Susan, Hannah and Astoria answered in a chorus-like manner, "You can't do that!"

"Why?"  
Hannah answered, "Because it would be dangerous. It would be Miriam's first broom ride. She would be excited and could easily lose control. There is a reason they only teach it to us when we're 11 years old, you know!"

Draco replied, "But I learned flying so much younger!"  
Daphne replied, trying to hide her smirk, "Yes, Draco, we all know about your adventures with the helicopter. The matter is that it would be dangerous for Miriam. Believe me; you don't want to see your parents mad at you over your kid sibling!"

Astoria continued, "Yes, Daphne knows what she is talking about. I still remember the time we visited Loch Ness and she gave me a handful of gillyweed to chew on. Supposedly we were going to look for the Monster, but our parents caught us before that. Poor Daphne was held responsible, and afterwards, she couldn't sit down for a week!"

Astoria smirked as Daphne visibly blushed.  
Draco considered his plans carefully and decided to review them while there was still time. A while later, Susan and Hannah had managed to coax Miriam into having tea with them, which according to the Hufflepuff witches meant dressing up to the nines. Soon they had enlisted the help of the other girls, and Draco surreptitiously tapped Justin's shoulder and pointed toward the door.

As they were leaving, the Hufflepuff asked, "What is wrong?"  
Draco replied, "You were about to be recruited against your will to become a tea drinker. Anyway, I also want to talk to you about something else, and now is as good a time as any."

Draco led him to his room and when they got there, the blond continued, "What are you going to do once we finish Hogwarts, Justin? I suppose you intend to become a barrister like your father."

Justin replied, "Yes, I intend to go to Muggle Law school and start working for a law firm."  
Draco smiled and said, "What if we became partners, Justin?"

The Hufflepuff stared aghast at Draco as he demanded, "Explain!"  
"Like you, I'd like to go to Law school. Unlike you, however, I'd want to study Wizarding law. It seems to me there is a fruitful field of study in the way the Muggle and Wizarding Laws interact with each other.

"We would not have prevailed against the Marriage Law if we had sought succor only in Wizarding Law, just as we would have failed if we had only used Muggle Law, without relating it to the problem at hand. Our fathers helped enormously to defeat the Law, but even they would have been powerless if they had not happened to meet and discuss the case. Together, their viewpoints complemented each other beautifully and they succeeded in that daunting task.

"Even if the Marriage Law is defeated, there are still many outrages going on in the Wizarding world, like their cavalier treatment of werewolves.

"While I was here, a virtual prisoner of Voldemort's, I had contact with his captives sometimes – and his helpers. Fenrir Greyback attacked many people, turned them into werewolves and made them work for their Lord. I could be as aloof with them as the Death Eaters and we struck an uneasy acquaintanceship.

"I've received news from some of those werewolves that the Ministry intends to proceed much harder against them. Citing the preoccupation with Dark Magic, they are ready to send them to a virtual encampment where they would remain prisoner, secluded from the world.

"I intend to work against this outrage and I have a possible way to accomplish that. I also want to work toward achieving Gay Marriage in the Wizarding world. But I can't do it alone. I'll need you. Together we will be unbeatable. Together we will convince our fathers to help us."

Justin tugged his curly hair as he said, "Are you always so intent on constructing plots, Draco?"  
The blond Slytherin replied huffily, "No, only when I'm awake."

Justin Finch-Fletchley answered, "Then by George, count me in!"  
Draco punched his arm and replied, "Good! I can't remain passive and let them do what they will. My cousin might be a werewolf. Teddy might need help, and I won't allow them to simply incarcerate him when he is a child who has done nothing wrong!"

When the day drew to a close, Draco wondered where his friends were. He looked for them in the North Wing but didn't find them. He finally found them near the westernmost windows of the Manor, observing the wonderful explosions of ochre and amber that colored the sky as the sun went down, promising to lift more of its burden, as the solstice had finally passed.

Draco saw Susan and Robert looking longingly at the sky as they held each other's hands, a room to the north he distinguished Hannah held in a loving embrace by Dean.

Snorting in disgust, Draco made his way to the North Wing, whereupon he chanced to glance upstairs at two figures gazing out the window at the sunset, a sickeningly sweet Pansy holding hands with Terry Boot.

Finally Draco took one of the shortcuts he knew so well and ended up at the intersection of the West and North wing, where he saw the curly-haired Hufflepuff holding Daphne's hand as if it would break. Please!

Draco made his way to a solitary window in a solitary corridor and mused on the imperfections of life, when a drawling voice said mockingly, "Pathetic isn't it? All that mushiness and fluffiness can not but make you retch, right?" The blonde figure of Astoria Greengrass approached Draco.

She continued, "I'll tell you what is really pathetic! That they have their partners and we do not! Only, I suspect we both have found them and they are not here yet."

"So would you join me in watching this marvelous sunset, Mr. Malfoy?"  
Draco nodded and offered his hand to the petite blonde, "I'd be delighted to, Miss Greengrass."

tbc


	20. Chapter 20

Warning: Slash

**January 3rd, 1999  
Malfoy Manor**

The people were preparing to go back to Hogwarts. The term would start tomorrow. But not all guests would return to Hogwarts.

Pansy was currently saying goodbye to Terry. She said, "Thanks for writing me that letter, Terry. Not all effects of that blasted Marriage Law are awful, because it somehow brought us together. The thought of spending my days with that Irish wanker beside me is disgusting beyond belief!"

Pansy started crying angrily, and Draco passed her a handkerchief. The former Slytherin wiped her cheeks nonchalantly as she continued, "So take good care of yourself, Terry, you hear?"

Then she turned and stared intensely at Draco as she said, "And you, Draco, you'd better watch out for Terry here, or I will personally skewer you using all the lore learned during my Revenge III classes."

A nervous Dean and Terry exchanged glances, worried about that statement.  
Hannah saw the worried looks of her friends and scowled, there was little she could do.

Daphne, though, came up to Pansy and, looking into her eyes, said, "Yes, I miss the old Revenge lessons, Pansy, but tell them the truth!"  
Pansy sighed and said, "Of course I don't take any old Revenge classes!"

Her former schoolmates audibly sighed. The brunette continued nonchalantly, "I don't need those lessons; I can take care of myself very well!"

Terry and Justin paled. The Hufflepuff was tugging at his curls.  
Draco said mock-angrily, "Why is it that no one threatens _for _me?"  
A clueless Astoria replied, "What do you mean? They all threaten you!"

Draco sighed as he replied to the blonde, "Yes, they threaten me, but they never tell other persons to watch their steps towards me, or else. I always end up being the victim."

Justin walked up to the Slytherin and smacked him in the arm, saying, "They simply have no imagination. Don't worry, Draco, I'll threaten big bad Harry for you!"

Dean replied, "No need for that. He would only lecture you about the dangers of threatening people!"  
The students smiled. Draco saw Blaise's pensive look as the black Slytherin went to the Gardens.

Draco followed and reached Zabini just in front of the narcissi. Blaise was sighing as he sat down on a nearby bench. Draco asked, "What is wrong, Blaise? You look wistful."

"I'm just thinking I am going back to Beauxbatons, Draco. Back to the beautiful and bucolic life of Languedoc. It's very nice, but also boring. I am sorry I convinced my mother to let me go there. I thought I was being so clever, leaving all my problems behind like a good Slytherin should.

"I was also leaving the memories behind, the bad ones. Right now I have reached the bittersweet conclusion that I also left the good memories behind, Draco. Our memories of fighting the odds time and again, always losing but never giving up.

"Draco, comparing the intensity and sheer power of the recollections of our first six years with current life, I cannot help but think that today things are so plain. I don't mean 'plain' in a pejorative sense, because I realize plain is good, plain is safe. Voldemort taught me this if nothing else.

"I'm a little envious because I am sure you're embroiled in an adventure. You might think you are being clever but I was a Slytherin too. I guess I miss the adventures and I miss the gang."

Draco called Seymour and ordered him to bring two butterbeers. After Seymour returned with the beverages and the Purebloods had grabbed them, Draco lounged lazily as he spoke, "I miss you Blaise, and I miss your level head and your no-nonsense advice. Other people miss you too, like Slughorn." Both students smiled wryly, remembering their Head of House.

Draco continued, "Life might seem a bit duller today, but I believe it is the result of the War. Compared with the intensity and weight of the decisions taken during the fight, everything that comes later pales in comparison.

"I have noted some of the things you spoke about right there in Hogwarts. As I've said, I think it is the war. Things will eventually look up for you and for us here. And I will always miss you, Blaise!"

Draco hugged Blaise, and the dark-haired Slytherin hugged back. Draco asked, "Are there many Veelas there, Blaise?"

Blaise smirked as he answered, "A few, they are very beautiful. But then, I could be lying, couldn't I? Only one way to find out, you'll have to visit! Languedoc is warmer than here this time of year. I promise you will find it interesting."

Eventually, the time came for Greg, Pansy and Blaise to return to their schools. There were sorrowful goodbyes and a smirk or two.

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As the house-elves gathered their stuff to go back to Hogwarts, Draco noticed his sister Miriam shyly watching from behind a curtain, with her brown dragon, _Conis_, in her arms.

Susan got quietly behind Miriam and then coughed. The little Malfoy looked up at the Hufflepuff Head Girl, who wore her hair in a braid, as usual. Susan noticed her stare and asked if she wanted to learn how to make braids.

Miriam nodded and the Head Girl and she disappeared for a while.  
Draco walked to his mother's studio and then entered, to find Narcissa hunched over some papers, she was drinking tea. His mother looked up and smiled at him, saying, "Are you ready to return to Hogwarts, Draco?"

Draco nodded, sat down on a chair on the other side of the desk, and voiced his concerns, "Mother, how are father and you going to deal with Miriam? Will she be home-schooled?"

Narcissa smiled warmly and replied, "Lucius and I are looking at options to send her to a Kindergarten in Salisbury. We could leave her and get her everyday. Of course Lucius would have to learn to drive his car."

Draco paled, thinking of Lucius at the wheel. Narcissa smirked as she replied, "We'll probably get a driver. The Kindergarten will be a Muggle one. Both Lucius and I want Miriam to be immersed in that culture, to later contrast it with the Wizarding one. We feel it will be better for her this way."

"Antonia has also suggested counseling sessions, so Miriam can get help dealing with the aftermath of the abuse. She'll need time to recover, and she'll have it with us, in the bosom of her family."  
Draco asked concernedly, "But what about accidental magic? Won't these occurrences be suspicious to the Muggles and perhaps harm her?"

Narcissa took a sip of tea and she answered judiciously, "Miriam will be safe. Most instances of accidental magic occur when the child feels threatened. She is likely to feel secure in her new environment. It is nothing unusual; it is what most Muggleborns have to go through as they grow up, as I am sure your Harry can tell you."

Afterwards, Draco went to Miriam's room to speak with the brown-haired child. The little girl sported braided hair, and Susan left them behind to talk.

Draco sat at the edge of the bed and said, "Do you know what is happening today, Miriam?"  
Miriam said sweetly, "You are going away, Conis!"

Draco sighed as he replied, "I'm going to school. You'll be going to another school soon, where they will teach you all kinds of wonderful things. You'll have fun with mom and dad. If you have time send me a letter. Tell mum you have a parchment for me and she'll send the owl to you. Then you tie the parchment to the owl's leg and tell it where to go.

"Of course, if you can't write, you can always send me your drawings, they will have to do!"  
Miriam rolled her eyes unobtrusively, but part of being a sister is suffering through your blundering older brother's rambling, so she held her peace. For the moment.

Draco took out a glass key from his pocket and dangled it in front of Miriam. He said, "Can I trust you with something, Miriam?"

The little girl nodded interestedly. Draco continued, "This is the key to the room where I used to keep my toys. It's protected from the rest of the house. Now I'll leave the key with you. There are all kinds of toys there, trains, airplanes, moving dolls – not that I played with them, but they are just there anyway. Whenever you have spare time you can use it and enjoy yourself. To get there, you just have to ask the portrait of Liam Malfoy. He is the one who looks like dad, only with black hair, and he is at the end of the West Parlor."

Miriam started sobbing. She kept repeating, "I don't deserve it, Conis, I don't!"  
Draco held her as she cried and rubbed softly her back. Finally he asked, "Why do you say that, Mi?"

Miriam answered hiccupping, "They always told me I didn't deserve nothing! They kept shouting that, always!"  
Draco tried to console Miriam, he said, "What they said or did no longer concerns you, Mi! You will go to a doctor or Healer where you can hopefully learn how to deal with those awful memories.

"There's only one thing you need to know. You are a Malfoy and we don't leave our family behind."  
Then Draco slyly said, "If I may suggest, Mi, you can ask mom if she'll let you learn to fly your broom."

Miriam nodded intently and they started talking about something else. In Draco's mind, it was never too early to recruit future Slytherin or Hufflepuff Quidditch players.

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They said their emotional goodbyes before they took a portkey to King's Cross. Not even Lucius's and Jason's cars together would have carried them all.

Miriam cried as Draco said goodbye. She turned to Narcissa and the blonde comforted her. Then Draco said good-bye to his mother. His face looked utterly confident and calm, but Narcissa could read between the lines, and what she could see worried her.

At moments Draco looked forlorn, as if he were buckling under pressure. He looked exactly the way he had when she had seen him those few precious times when he was completing his evil task set by Voldemort.

She suspected the weight of fighting the Marriage Law, with the putative marriages occurring so soon, was wreaking havoc with Draco's peace of mind.

Draco kissed Astoria's cheek as he said, "Do you want me to say hi to a certain person?"  
Astoria blushed and nodded. "Please do."  
The students took the portkey, Lucius activated it and they disappeared in a swirl of color.

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When they arrived in an alley behind King's Cross, Dean commented crossly, "I don't see why we had to come here. We could've portkeyed near Hogwarts very easily."

Susan huffed as she explained, "We are here, Dean, because we want to ride the Hogwarts Express as students a last time. It's nice to know that only one term remains between us and freedom, if a little sad at the same time. Together we ride for the last time as students; hopefully we'll ride it again in the future, as friends."

Dean nodded, taking it in stride and realizing that she was right. It was their last time going to Hogwarts as students. They might as well enjoy it.  
As if hearing his unspoken comments, Susan took out a Wizarding camera and started taking pictures of King's Cross and them. They easily spotted Jason Finch-Fletchley reclining against the entrance to 9 ¾.

Jason approached them and hugged Justin. He shook Lucius's and Draco's hands and greeted the others. He drawled, "I just wanted to say goodbye to you, Justin. I also thought I might be able to kidnap the esteemed Lucius and have a political talk. How say you, Lucius?"

The blond smirked as he replied, "I think the young people can find their way to the train, Jason. Let's discuss strategy."  
Justin and Draco looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

They duly went through the magical door to get to Platform 9 ¾. They admired the Express and its red steam as Susan continued taking photos nonstop. Eventually they found two compartments next to each other and sat down.

They were interrupted by a knock at the door. Robert Lehmke went to open it and found Hermione, Ginny and Harry there. Ron mumbled something inaudible and went to find a compartment for himself.

Harry was dressed in black linen trousers, red button-down shirt and dragonhide boots that were Charlie's gift. Hermione was wearing a demure burgundy dress, showing a bit more cleavage than she was used to. Obviously a gift from Ginny, if her smug looks were to be believed.  
Ginny wore a white blouse and grey skirt.

An hour after the Express left London, Draco was walking, looking for Hermione, when he saw across an open door the unmistakable face of Ron Weasley. They stared at each other and then Draco's gaze slid smoothly to the wall and beyond. He continued on his way, without acknowledging the Gryffindor at all.

This is what he would do; he would pretend that the redhead did not exist. He would be empty air for him, because in his moment of greatest need, the redhead had proved to be just that, empty air.

When Draco arrived at their compartment, he knocked and entered. Hermione sat alone, ostensibly engrossed reading about Ancient Runes. Draco cast privacy charms and sat down in front of her. He asked, "Where are the others?"

"Ginny left to talk with Luna Lovegood and Neville," the brunette paused meaningfully and then continued, "And I don't know where Harry went. He just disappeared mysteriously."

"Anything strange happened during the holidays?"  
Hermione replied, "Funny that you mention that. I noticed something, if only because it made Ginny so mad she literally threw stuff around! It seems that she felt she carried the heavier onus of doing house chores. Ron, Percy and Harry tended to leave at unexpected moments. When asked, they said they went to play Quidditch or watch it at Ottery St. Catchpole's local Quidditch pitch. Percy cited urgent Ministry business.

"Even Mr. Weasley was absent. As you may know, Ron's father has taken a keen interest in the running of the government since the death of his son Fred.  
"Apart from that, I practiced wandless. I now got to a two-minute waiting period! Isn't that wonderful, Draco?"

The Slytherin told her about becoming a big brother, the adoption of Miriam Malfoy and her struggles to cope with normalcy.  
Hermione was interested. She insisted she had to meet the little girl soon and even weighed inducting her into _RAMS: Resistance Against Marriage Submission._

Draco proudly took out some magical photos from his robe pockets and handed them to Hermione, saying, "Look at her! She's in these pictures."

Hermione briefly saw some photos of them riding what appeared to be pegasi. Then she found a photo of a little girl, maybe four or five years old, assiduously drawing and seeming to ignore the equally busy blond seated at her right.

She saw three more photos of the little girl. In them, Miriam was fighting what looked to be a fierce snow battle, at first sight. A more jaundiced eye would note how all participants seemed to be preparing for a Draco-ambush.

The final photo showed a seemingly shy Miriam laughing discreetly at her fallen brother, who had his face and hair startlingly white, seeing how they were covered by fine snow.

Twenty minutes later they were joined by Harry. When Draco asked him where he'd been, the Gryffindor smiled nervously and replied, "I spent the time in the compartment with the owls. They soothe me like nothing else. It's something I missed when Hedwig passed away. Since I can't replace her, I want to listen to their soothing hoots once in a while. I also like to spend time in the Owlery, listening to them."

Harry sat down next to the Slytherin, put his arms on his shoulders, and kissed him soundly. Hermione blushed and Draco smirked. Draco looked at her and raised his eyebrow in an infuriatingly snobby manner.  
Hermione got the message, though. She got up and left them alone, stomping through the door and musing that nothing would distract them from each other now.

Draco took out his wand and swished it briefly, muttering a locking spell. Then he returned Harry's kisses.  
Draco murmured, "How would you like being loved in the last journey of the Hogwarts Express, Harry? How would you like to be fucked by an invisible man?"

Harry moaned and offered his neck to be kissed. Draco murmured a spell and flicked his wand, rendering himself invisible for the time being. He opened the curtains, murmuring to Harry, "Just like that, so anyone passing by can see inside, never imagining that their Savior is getting shagged right in front of their eyes."

Harry groaned as Draco opened his belt and lowered his trousers and boxers just so, and after hurriedly freeing his cock, accio'ing a lubricant and slathering it on himself, he proceeded to enter the Gryffindor. Harry kept moaning as he imagined how he must look, impaled on something invisible. Only he felt the thickness and warmth of Draco's cock, only he heard the squelching noises as his rectum was penetrated most thoroughly.

He imagined his walls being pulled apart by something the others could not see, and he decided to clench his ass around Draco's cock. When he felt the blond emptying himself inside of him, he also came hard.

After Draco cleaned them and pulled up his trousers, he unlocked the door and opened it.  
Harry asked, "Hey Draco, aren't you going to set yourself visible again?"

Draco drawled, "Of course, I must have forgotten that little detail. Thanks, Harry!"  
Draco turned himself visible. Harry almost drooled, Draco looked thoroughly debauched. Then he wondered how he must look himself and tried to brush his hair.

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The next day, classes for their last term started. The school was abuzz with speculation about the Marriage Law. People had not forgotten that the first marriages were supposed to take place next week. The _Daily Prophet_ kept its silence, but the _Quibbler_ informed them that the Marriage Law had been deemed null and void by an authoritative source.

It was interesting to see that one of the Marriage Law's staunchest supporters, namely Rita Skeeter, no longer supplied the newspaper with articles spinning her views about it.

At the Gryffindor table, Harry seemed to be in a foul mood as he answered Hermione's questions with monosyllables. After a while he managed to cheer himself up and soon was joking with the rest of the Gryffindors.  
The owls soon appeared with the morning mail, and as they dove to their destinations at the Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables, the students read their news in silence.

Except in the Hufflepuff table, Susan and Hannah appeared to be enraged. Justin tried to calm Susan as Terry did the same with Hannah. The Hufflepuff inwardly raged at the Slytherins Draco and Robert that had to choose precisely this day to show solidarity with their house.

Finally Susan explained what had happened to her. She had received a letter from her supposed fiancé. Etienne Zabini would appear in Hogwarts on January 12th. He still intended to marry her, all objections be damned!

Justin replied that Susan should just play along. There was no way that the marriage could take place. His father, Hermione and Lucius agreed that the strictures laid by the _geas_ would not permit that. They had to misdirect them.

Terry learned that Hannah had received a letter similar in content to that of Susan. This time, Zacharias Smith informed her of his firm commitment to their marriage. He waited for the pleasure of becoming her husband on that date.

Justin just wished Daphne would show up and hold his hand. On that January day, they were fated to be married too, and although he relished the idea of him marrying Daphne, he still wasn't ready to tie the knot. Now if only those infuriating Slytherin twits would return from their honored table so they could plot something, he'd feel better.

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Draco was walking to Potions class when he encountered a group of Four Year Slytherins among whom was Elias Flint. Draco waved nonchalantly to an empty classroom and Elias nodded. After saying goodbye to his friends, Elias met Draco in the room.

The blond asked the brunet how he was doing. Elias explained that he was all right. After being chastised by the ombudswoman, the Headmistress had only assigned him detentions with Mr. Flitwick for one month. Elias explained further that after inspecting his trust fund, he was looking for employment when he finished Hogwarts in some years. At the first opportunity available he would try to contact Mr. Joseph Dervish to find what he could about the position he may offer.

Draco shook his hand as he urged him to seek him in case he found himself in any trouble.  
Later that night, Draco made his way to the Leaky Cauldron, having prevailed on Liz Lehmke to lend him a portkey to go to Diagon Alley and back. Draco promised to stay no more than one hour.

After Tom led him to the door he'd requested, he took out one of Terry's paperback novels and started to read.  
Presently, a faint scratching sound was heard outside the door. Draco went to open it. He beheld the blond hair, the outlandish glasses of the infamous reporter.

He said, "Please come in Mrs. Skeeter, we have much to talk about."

tbc

_AN: There is a bumpy ride ahead, with plenty of twists. _


	21. Chapter 21

**January 12th, 1999  
Hogwarts**

There was an inexorable sense of dread and excitement coursing through Hogwarts. The avowed Marriage Day had come. Some people looked at the whole idea with loathing, and some others couldn't wait for things to come out like they wanted to.

Hannah and Susan had spent most of the night walking nervously around the Hufflepuff common room. They had been joined by a concerned Justin, Daphne and Draco.

Justin and Draco had been initially nonchalant. However, as time went by and they received innocuous-looking messages from their fathers – Jason and Lucius sent short notes telling them to stay put and man the ship, that things would turn out ok– they started to get worried.

Draco was pacing to and fro as he muttered angrily to Justin, "Man the ship! What are we, pirates?" Draco tried to unsuccessfully tug his short hair, scowling, he continued, "We should have used mother's help instead! She's more reliable!"  
Justin sought to calm the irritable blond. He said, "Calm down, Draco! Or do you want Hannah and Susan to become more nervous?

"I know they will pull through because I know my dad. He is not a Member of Parliament for nothing, you know? He's sharp, incisive and keen in getting things right. He especially likes to pose awkward questions to the Government during the Friday Questions. It was he who dealt the Marriage Law a severe blow when he wondered sarcastically why the Commons had to deal with a law designed for pureblood horses. The Minister of Magic clearly did not expect that the Muggles would be as nosy and unruly as to question a piece of legislation before voting.

"It set a tone of derision and disbelief that would herald the final defeat of the Law in the Commons. I also know Lucius is a political man through and through and I trust them.

"Concerning your mother, I have no doubt she would do just as well. Unfortunately, we live in a world where the supposed decision-makers tend to be men."

Meanwhile Daphne was talking to the blonde and the brunette. They were really angry that Etienne Zabini and Zacharias Smith still intended to pursue their union, after they had been publicly rejected and the whole Marriage Law called into question both politically and by the newspaper, _The Quibbler._

Daphne took out from her pocket two small translucent pebbles and gave them to Susan and Hannah, saying, "If things turn out bad, grab the portkey and mutter the password _Kürbissaft._ It will take you to our Manor in the West Midlands and then you can decide what you will do. Astoria is probably at the Manor, and she will take you to our parents. They are kind, so don't worry."  
Susan and Hannah hugged the brunette Slytherin.

Draco was idly perusing the Serpent's Map, when he noticed someone coming. Apparently, they had prevailed on Pansy to show up, to cover all their bases. He decided to meet with the former Slytherin near the Great Hall.

Pansy was in front of the stairs, pondering whether to go downstairs to the Slytherin common room, or visit the Hufflepuff one. If she knew Draco she would be in Slytherin. Thing was, he had changed, and he and the others appeared to enjoy an intense friendship. So chances were he'd be in Hufflepuff.

She was about to go upstairs when a mocking voice said, "I knew you would see it my way, Pans! Who wouldn't want to be married to me, debonair, handsome, a hero through and through?"

Pansy snorted as she turned and beheld Seamus Finnigan. He was near a stout-looking woman with some of his features.  
The woman scowled and said, "Are you sure about it, bonny lad? This lass does not seem as pretty as the ones you have brought home. She looks downright dowdy! And frankly staying in this dusty old castle is playing havoc with my sinuses!"

Seamus turned to his mother and replied, "She will have to do, mother. It's because of that Marriage Law I told you about, and you'll only stay here until after the ceremony."  
The woman said angrily, "And because of that stupid Law you have to marry a slut such as this!"

Pansy whipped out her wand and pointed it at the woman; Seamus also took out his wand and directed it towards Pansy. The stalemate was broken by a drawling voice that said suavely, "I suppose that ugly bitch is the one that you call mother, Finnigan? She looks as stupid and obtuse as you, which is not a simple feat. Now lower carefully your wand before I decide I want some fun and start using that bitch as transfiguration material."

Faced with Draco Malfoy, Seamus was forced to put his wand away. He'd been beset by mishaps since the kidnapping incident, all irritating and humiliating, and never had he been able to prove anything against Malfoy. He'd started to avoid the blond like the plague.

Whenever they met, Draco smirked disdainfully at him and went his way.  
Draco continued, "You and your relative are free to go and get lost. I hope Peeves finds your lovely mother and they have a fruitful discussion about Poltergeist affairs. I'm sure she will understand, being one herself."

After the sorry Finnigans had left, Draco kissed Pansy's cheek as he led her upstairs to the Hufflepuff common room. He said, "Sorry for that. Fortunately I was able to stop it in time."

Pansy asked shrewdly, "The Serpent's Map?"  
"Yes, I've managed to modify its programming somewhat. Now it will show the strongest magical feature of the person and doesn't show the blood status. I also changed the icons."

When they arrived to the Common Room, Draco conveniently forgot something and had the time to order the house-elf Flibby to go and get Terry Boot. Pansy was greeted warmly by the gang, although some Hufflepuffs still looked at her very distrustfully.

Hannah asked Pansy, "What about Greg Goyle and Blaise? I heard from Marietta and Parvati that they were also supposed to be married today."  
Draco replied, "Greg doesn't care. He is of the opinion that the Marriage Law cannot order his marriage. He doesn't seem to care that he puts himself at some risk through his defiance. Actually, he has started to show a rebellious streak. First the long hair, and now this.

"Blaise is another one who doesn't care, though his approach is shrewder. If the Marriage Law goes on, he will apply for Swiss citizenship. His grandfather and father were Swiss, you know, and he was born in the canton of Ticino. Blaise is really smart."

Then the door was opened and Terry came in. He hurried to Pansy's side and kissed her passionately. Some of the onlookers blushed while others smiled.  
Terry said, "I'll be here if you need me, Pansy! Fortunately Anastasia Warbeck will not be here. Like me, she detested the idea of forced marriage and jumped at the chance to be free."

Terry leaned towards Pansy and murmured _sotto voce_, "If they try to marry you against your will, we can always ride the reduced broomstick I carry on my pocket and fly away into the light of day."

They finally made their way to the Great Hall. They sat at the Hufflepuff table, where they were joined by Hermione, Ginny and Harry. They ate breakfast as if it were a cardboard meal, an ominous start that would be followed by the shackling of free will – as they considered it – or the renaissance of the Magical world, as the Ministry liked to spout.

Draco saw that Harry was far away, meditating about heavy stuff. He jostled his arm and said, "A Knut for your thoughts."

Harry replied, "I'm thinking about what is better: the good of the many or the happiness of the one? Ideally I would be for free will, especially about something like marriage, but the Marriage Law promises to solve the issue of the Blood divide."

Draco answered, "There is no easy solution, Harry. If the Marriage Law succeeds and we all wed according to it, who's to say that it won't be for naught? Who is to say that one or two generations down the line, people won't be at each other's throats because of a silly thing we disregard?

"To assume that the Marriage Law is the panacea for all things is really silly. It is just not right that the putative happiness of the Wizarding World seemingly depends on treating us like slaves, bereft of free will.

"Furthermore, there are things we could do right now that would alleviate tensions, without falling into tyranny."

Harry said, "But the Marriage Law would surely save the peace we sacrificed so much for!"

"There are concrete steps that would be much more doable and lasting than the stupid Marriage Law. Things like stopping Hogwarts prejudice in the bud, demolishing the idea that all Slytherins are evil and the others are certified good. You know that is not the truth, Harry!"

Harry replied, "I don't know, I still stand by the Marriage Law."

Draco sighed and said, "You are very stubborn, you won't change your mind easily, I know. For me, I hope to remain free.

"I hope that someday, we'll tie the knot. I don't need a piece of paper to tell me that you're mine, or I'm yours. But I will sure enjoy having it, if only to taunt Weasel."

Before they could finish the breakfast, Zacharias Smith approached Hannah and asked her unctuously, "Do you want to meet my parents?"

"No, unless it is in Hell. Which it might be if we are to be wed."  
Smith said disdainfully, "You think this way now, Abbott; you will soon learn a better way to be!"

Harry stood up and advanced protectively toward Hannah. He said, "Leave her alone, Smith! This is not the way to go."  
Zacharias turned to Harry and said condescendingly, "Why are you sticking up for her, Potter? Perhaps because she is the friend of your boyfriend, Malfoy. It's common knowledge that you spread your legs for him, so it shouldn't surprise me that you would be so accommodating."

Hermione flinched, remembering how Harry sometimes lost his cool and hit with whatever he had handy. She dreaded to see another demonstration of accidental magic.

She was surprised when she heard Harry answer calmly, "That is no concern of yours, Smith. What is at stake is how you treat your prospective wife. You should treat her with the same respect you expect to get from her. Anything else will cause trouble in your married life. You have always put stock on words, Smith. Learn to wield them well and do not use them to demean and hurt."

Harry unobtrusively took out the Elder wand and swished it a few times. Zacharias Smith was duly transformed into a weasel, a blond weasel. He was repeatedly bounced back and forth against the wall. Eventually Harry had to transform back the Amazing Bouncing Weasel, due to McGonagall's hectoring.

A disgruntled Harry complied, but he left Smith with a weasel's snout.

They ended their breakfast in a somber, dour mood which had been lifted briefly by the weasel incident and then they went to walk in the Gardens.  
Classes had been cancelled for the day so the weddings would take place. Some enraged Ravenclaws had therefore contacted the ombudswoman and complained about the lost day of classes.

Liz Lehmke informed them in sorrowful tones, "I can't do anything. This was ordered by the Ministry. The Minister of Magic himself will be attending! You'll just have to bear it and study harder."

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At 10:00 am, the house-elves started putting tents in the back of the lawn. A long table filled with cold cuts and bottles of champagne was provided. Several fairies started singing a soothing song, as if trying to cheer up the mostly depressed brides and grooms.

At 11:00 the dignitaries started showing up. Among them were Percy Weasley and his father Arthur Weasley, who had been chosen the new Minister of Magic after Kingsley Shacklebolt's surprising resignation.

The moment of truth crept increasingly closer, and the gang was understandably nervous. Susan, Hannah and Pansy were motioned to their places beside their prospective fiancés by an authoritative Justin and Draco.

The ceremony started. Draco was very worried. Still no sign of Lucius or Jason. The older men would not leave them to face this alone, would they?

He thought of attacking the uppity wizard officiating the ceremony, a loony like Dumbledore. This one had pink flamingos flying in his robes! The same measured stance, the calming glance, maybe it was Dumbledore's long lost brother or something.  
But if he attacked this man, he would go to Azkaban and accomplish nothing. They would use another one at a later time, and the girls would not be saved.  
So Draco held his peace and brooded.

When the wizard got to the part where he asked if anyone had an objection to the weddings, no one expected a lonely voice to loudly say, "I object."

A man strode towards the lectern used by the officious officiator. He was dressed in a dark grey Armani suit, had a white shirt and red-striped tie. He had a briefcase and he started to speak, as he was taking some documents out of it.

"I am John Martin, a representative of the Queen's Bench. We have reviewed the case of this Marriage Law since its inception. The Law as such was defeated in the Commons. Later a complaint was lodged against this Law, claiming that it was forcing some British subjects into conditions akin to slavery.

"A review by the Bench decided that this law was null and void in British soil. Later the Government fought this decision through the process of appeals, and it was finally decided in the House of Lords. The decision witnessed by the Lord Chancellor upheld the judgment deeming this law void.

"Still this so-called Ministry of Magic insists on forcing British subjects to make a lifetime commitment against their will. Their behavior is appalling and will not be allowed to proceed in Britain!"

An enraged Zacharias Smith shouted, "We are not British!"  
Mr. Martin replied calmly, "You stand on British soil, you were born here. Britain surrounds you. You are a subject of this realm, whether you recognize it or not."

The Ministry wizards were getting restless and angry. One of them proceeded to whip out a wand and tried to curse Mr. Martin.  
The man shouted '_Obliviate!_' Everyone could see the beam of light going towards Mr. Martin.

Then a strange thing happened. The beam turned back on itself. It did not just bounce back or stopped showing, like would have occurred if a _Protego_ shield had been used.

Instead, it went back and hit the hapless man. He shuddered and wobbled, and would have fallen if Percy Weasley had not grabbed his shoulders to steady him.

Six men and women appeared out of nowhere, they were dressed in khaki jackets, shirts and ties; they wore regimental tartan kilts or trews. The special pattern of the jackets worn with a cut away front identified them as belonging to the Royal Regiment of Scotland. They brandished guns and they politely asked the Ministry wizards to surrender their wands.

A melee broke out. The Ministry wizards would not give up so easily, and believing they had the upper hand when confronting some insignificant Muggles, the accompanying Aurors started shouting curses at them.

The soldiers defended themselves superbly. They knew they had to disarm the wizards, and proceeded to shoot at their arms. Mostly they succeeded and several wizards fell to the floor after having been wounded in their arms or legs.

During the fight, the Aurors were indiscriminate in their targeting, and two students were hit with Dark spells. Hannah and Susan approached them and took them to the Infirmary. The Hufflepuffs were protected by Harry and Draco. Susan was about to be hit with a Dark spell when a _Protego_ shield cast by Harry protected her.

Eventually the four students reached the Infirmary and left their charges with Madam Pomphrey. They returned to the Garden and the fight.

The wizards managed to fire off some effective curses, including several green _Avada Kedavras_. When the targets were the soldiers, the curses rebounded directly on the person casting them. The Aurors who shot the _Avada Kedavras_ fell dead, victims of their own reflected curses.

At the end, three Ministry workers were dead, and the rest effectively out of combat.

Meanwhile, the soldiers fanned out and started taking prisoners, including the Minister of Magic himself. Harry came to the woman who seemed to be in charge and pleaded for Arthur. Eventually they stopped listening to his pleas and Arthur remained a prisoner.

McGonagall was predictably furious. She shouted, "How can you do this? How can you arrest the Minister of Magic? What law has he broken?"

Mr. Martin answered calmly, "The Minister of Magic is a subject of this realm, as well. He has disobeyed the will of Parliament. He has repeatedly tried to impose his own will on the hapless people he supposedly protects. He has broken enough laws in our realm to be held accountable. No doubt he has also broken some of your flimsy, arbitrary laws, if you look hard enough."

Jason Finch-Fletchley approached Justin and shook his arm, saying, "Justin, I'm sure you could escort nice Mrs. Gramson to your Room, so she can tell the helicopter where to meet them with their guests." Jason looked like the proverbial cat that got the canary.  
Justin didn't need to see the writing on the wall to know who had arranged for the miraculous apparition of Mr. Martin and the soldiers. Still, they could have been told the plan!

Grumbling, Justin went to Mrs. Gramson and asked her to follow him to the Room of Requirement. The athletic woman, who looked to be in her thirties, looked interestedly at Hogwarts' portraits, the moving stairs, and a whining Peeves passing by.

Curious, Justin asked, "Mrs. Gramson…"  
"Just call me Frankie, hon. My mom is Mrs. Gramson."

"Frankie, how is it that you are not overly concerned about all the magic? I know it must be a hell of a shock! I found out about magic when I was eleven, but you, how do you cope with all this?"

Frankie smiled and said, "There are so many things I don't get, kiddo, like the way these computers work, or how doctors heal patients. This is just another thing I don't understand."

"But, don't you feel threatened by magic?"  
"No, I don't get it, but I don't fear it. It would be like going around smashing computers because I don't like them. I just endure them and go on."

Justin paced back and forth in front of the Room while Frankie made fun of the dancing trolls. The door opened and then they went inside. Frankie was able to use her phone to call for a helicopter to meet them in the town where Jason generally left his car, near Hogsmeade.

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After the impromptu guests had left the smashing party known as 'the wedding day,' Draco nodded at Luna. The blonde Ravenclaw took off her outlandish glasses and winked, indicating the story would appear on the next day's _Quibbler.  
_A visibly enlightened Pansy said goodbye to her now official boyfriend Terry Boot and kissed him soundly, ignoring Draco's and Harry's catcalls.

When they entered the castle, Ginny and Harry were looking at Hermione a little fearfully. The brunette Gryffindor had commandeered the help of several house-elves and was ready to sew uplifting sentences using her group _RAMS: Resistance Against Marriage Submission_. The slogans said '_RAMS wins again_,' '_Don't mess with RAMS_,' and the classic, '_RAMS 1: Ministry lost._'

After Hermione peremptorily told them that she expected their voluntary contributions of clothing to be ready at the earliest convenience, she stared at Draco particularly hard.

Ron came up to them and spoke with Harry. The redhead looked very worried. Harry looked up and met Draco's eyes, twinkling a little. Harry said he had to go to the Ministry with Ron; to be sure they did not hold Mr. Weasley for too long.  
Draco nodded and the Gryffindors left them.

Justin suggested that they gather in the Room for what he importantly called a 'debriefing.' After Susan smacked him in the arm, the gang accompanied by Jason and Lucius made their way to the Room of Requirement.

This time it was Lucius who paced in front of the tapestry the required amount of times. When they entered they beheld an exquisite room with tapestries hung in all walls, comfortable couches everywhere, and a long table filled with delicacies.

Draco inwardly snorted as he realized the room looked just like his grandmother's parlor in Elsinore.  
Hannah asked, "So what happened with the spells rebounding, and where did those soldiers come from?"

Lucius smirked and replied, "As Miss Granger has suspected from the start, the _geas_ is very powerful, the blind Obedience Vow our ancestors tried to impose mutated and became what is today: it bounds all decisions to the will of Parliament. Even magic must submit to the _geas_."

Susan said, "But you say that all decisions must obey the will of Parliament. What about Cromwell's war then? What about the countless clashes within England and Scotland? What about Voldemort's evil behavior?"

Jason commented, "You raise interesting points, Miss Bones. Lucius should have been more precise." Here Jason flashed a smile at Lucius while the blond seethed inwardly.  
Jason continued, "The _geas_ binds all decisions to the will of Parliament, as expressed through the Commons _and_ through the Wizengamot."

"So you see that the Ministry, when it tried to cover all loopholes and force everyone to submit to the Marriage Law, unwittingly showed us the way to go. Use Parliamentary procedure and methods to reach in the Commons and Lords what could never be achieved in the Wizengamot, a wise decision.

"Sure, there was Civil War during the reign of Charles I, but because it dealt only with Muggle aspects, the _geas _was not activated. When Voldemort was reigning triumphant, only the Wizengamot was an active participant, and Parliament remained largely uninvolved, thus the _geas_ was still inactive.

"When the Ministry wanted to involve the Commons in approving the same Law and creating a binding metalaw, they opened the door to the actions of the _geas_. The Wizengamot approved the Law, which was rejected in the Commons. The Ministry had a last opportunity to affect the outcome, by arranging for the Wizengamot to appear in the House of Lords as the Lords Magical and vote for the Law. They did not react, and thus subjected themselves to the effects of the _geas_."

Lucius said, sporting a thoroughly malicious smirk, "As to how those charming young people showed up at Hogwarts, let me put it this way: they had friends in strange places, able to help them pass the Hogwarts wards against Muggles and transport them to that lovely fête at the lake." Lucius kept smirking as he tapped his cane against his right foot.

Draco touched Justin's shoulders and motioned to the side. The two students went to a secluded alcove in the room and Draco asked, "Have you thought about what this means, this victory?"  
Justin shook his head. Draco said, "As my recent readings suggest, British law is based on precedent. Think about it, now there is a precedent that selected people in the Wizarding World must be treated according to the Human Rights Charter approved into law by Parliament."

"This means that further cases involving breaking such laws should have nearly the same results. It is important in the case of the werewolves. Their human rights are being abused. They are being ostracized, ridiculed, shunned and hurt in many ways because of something they can not prevent. We must build upon this as we struggle for their rights."

After everyone left, Draco remained behind to talk with Lucius. They spoke about young Miriam, and Lucius eagerly told his son about Miriam's quick grasp of concepts.

That Monday she had her first session with the children's counselor. It was still too early to sense how much progress they were making, but they were going in the right direction.  
Then they talked about Narcissa and how she and Antonia were faring in their project to protect Muggleborns from physical and mental abuse.

Finally, they got to the ticklish part. Lucius started fidgeting with his cane and Draco replied rapidly, before his father could enter that metaphorical landmine, "It's all right, dad! I know what has you worried. I solemnly assure you that I will eventually produce the Malfoy Heir you have been yearning for."

Later that night Draco mused that things were starting to look well. The sea was calm, and there appeared to be a stable breeze moving the vessel along.  
He took out the Serpent's Map and started looking at random common rooms. Then he saw something that was so strange, he didn't know what to think.

He cursed himself, he should have known better than to taunt the gods thinking that everything was ok. Things were not ok!

tbc


	22. Chapter 22

**January 14th, 1999  
Hogwarts**

During breakfast, a harried-looking Draco caught Hermione's eyes and nodded toward the door. When they had finished, she walked out of the Great Hall, and the blond quietly started walking beside her, saying, "This way, please."

They arrived at a deserted classroom. Quickly, Draco cast privacy charms. Then he said earnestly, "I know you like to ferret out bits of information. You must know the sources for many spells now. Do you know them for French, too? What I mean is, where should I go if I want to have information on an ancient French spell?"

Hermione nodded, and in her earnest, no-nonsense voice, said "I guess it depends on the specific period you are searching for, otherwise it would be too cumbersome."  
Draco added, "It would be a time when French and Latin were used concurrently."

Hermione replied, "That narrows down the choices. I'd suspect the sources could be found in Provence. It was the first part of Gaul that was conquered by Rome, and it was among the last to let go."

In the afternoon, Harry, Draco and Susan made their leisure way to the Room of Requirement. They hadn't practiced for two weeks, due to their nerves because of the Marriage Law. Now they intended to make up for it.  
Harry paced back and forth and the door appeared. The room was in Gryffindor colors, with _tatamis_ on the floor and swords hanging from one wall.

Susan had made great strides in handling the sword and now could fight each one individually. Both males were surprised when Susan offered to fight them, simultaneously.

They got into a pitched battle, and Susan proved her mettle as a great sword mistress. She vanquished Draco, but in her turn was vanquished by Harry.

Then they practiced some Dark Arts spells on dummies. Susan proved to be quite an adept at this branch of magic, too. Harry, however, was devastatingly precise and deadly with his casting. When he flicked and swished his Elder wand, it looked and felt impressive.

If no one noticed the small hesitations of the blond and his deeply hidden moue of distaste when Harry executed brilliantly a Dark Art spell, it was for the better.  
Harry asked carefully, "Can I come back later, Draco?"

The blond replied, studiously avoiding Harry's gaze, "Unfortunately I can't, Harry. I have to go someplace with Lucius. Tomorrow I will leave to visit Blaise. He's wanted me to visit for months."

Harry's scrutinizing stare rested briefly on Draco, before moving to Susan. The Hufflepuff Head Girl adroitly asked Harry about Hermione's history with _SPEW_. Harry proceeded to relate enthusiastically Hermione's unsubtle attempts to free the house-elves.

They separated at the North Stairs. Susan and Harry went up and Draco descended the stairs. He went to his room and changed into more comfortable, more intimidating attire. He now wore a black robe with a severe, classical cut. Simple black wool trousers, a white shirt, a burgundy tie, and fine shoes completed his ensemble.

Draco left his room, not without warding it against intrusions. He made his way to Liz Lehmke's office. The ombudswoman had been reluctant at first to let him have the use of her Floo to 'skulk away in the dead of night' as she put it. Draco assured her that he had urgent business that he needed to attend to, and he would probably be back before too long, at any rate.  
Then Draco threatened to use McGonagall's chambers. Faced with this Slytherin cunning – which was pretty easy for her to discern - Liz inwardly smiled as she consented. Thereupon Draco Flooed and vanished.

Draco appeared in the Leaky Cauldron. He smoothly got out of the Floo and brushed the ashes from his shoulders. He greeted Tom and walked out to Diagon Alley, watching surreptitiously his surroundings. Ever since his kidnapping, he tended to be more aware of his environment. He presently reached an alley near Gringott's. He turned to the left and saw Lucius, standing a few feet away, tapping impatiently with his cane.

The elder Malfoy said imperiously, "Time you got here, Draco. Now let's find some answers!"  
They entered the sober atmosphere of Gringott's. Lucius barked at a goblin who was thoughtfully tugging his pointed beard, "Get me Woodgrinder!"

The goblin stood up, bowed and left. A few minutes later he returned and said, "Master Woodgrinder informs me that he cannot attend the head of the Malfoy family at this time. He is very sorry."

Lucius sneered and reclined on his cane as he said, "Tell Woodgrinder that if he won't see me now, pretty soon all of Gringott's will lament this slight to a powerful family. Do I make myself clear? You will get Woodgrinder or you will be sorry."

Seven minutes later, an apologetic goblin came back and took them to see the Manager of Gringott's.  
To Draco's jaundiced eye, Woodgrinder looked a bit menacing. He was short and dark-skinned. With his very long fingers, he appeared to be perusing some accounting reports. He wore a pointed hat.

Woodgrinder looked up, and his intense dark eyes met the Malfoys' menacing grey eyes. The battle was joined.  
Lucius said, "We want to know what is going on."  
Woodgrinder replied, "What makes you think I know more than you?"

Draco commented, "You are the General Manager of Gringott's, a much respected figure in the Wizarding World. You control this bank, and thus control the Wizarding economy. Furthermore, the letter sent to me announcing my partner in this marriage scheme indicated that a carbon copy had been forwarded to you, Woodgrinder. So I think you know a lot, you could help us solve the mystery of who was behind this Marriage Law and what they wanted."

Woodgrinder sighed and replied, "I can't tell you, Mr. Malfoy. My foremost duty is to Gringott's and its philosophies."  
Suddenly Lucius stood up and said, "Come on, Draco! Time to go."

A dumbfounded blond said, "Are we going to leave just like that, with no answers?"  
Malfoy replied as he smirked devilishly, "Woodgrinder has been very clear. His first duty is to Gringott's. I understand that very well. My own first responsibility is to the Malfoy family. So I will also follow my duty. I will arrange for the Malfoy estate to be transferred to Zürich."

An astounded Draco watched as Woodgrinder shot out of his chair and said heatedly, "You cannot do that, Mr. Malfoy! It would be very bad for Gringott's."

Lucius stared intently at the small goblin. He drawled, "It is obvious from the context that you played an important part in this hare-brained scheme to defraud the Purebloods. The dismantling of the old fortunes could not proceed without your implicit consent. Whoever was in charge committed a grievous error when they sent the carbon copies to you, when it wasn't needed or even wanted. So I don't feel safe leaving the Malfoy monies in your rather incapable hands. I'd rather trust the Swiss Kobolden over your kind. Good night, sir!"

Lucius opened forcefully the door and was about to stride out of the room, when the anguished voice of Woodgrinder was heard. "Stop! I will tell you what you want to know!

"It doesn't matter anyway, with the Marriage Law annulled; the prospects of economic succor are dim. We can only survive, and Gringott's cannot do that if it loses the Malfoy fortune. So I will tell you all."

Lucius closed the door and cast privacy wards. Then the blonds returned to their chairs and sat down.

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In Hogwarts, Harry was restless. Draco had gone, Hermione and Ron were too busy snogging to pay much attention to him, the Hufflepuffs were good companions, but he yearned for something else at this moment.

On his way to the Owlery, he met Neville and Luna. The Ravenclaw just winked at him and mouthed 'were-snorkack.' Harry was angry with the blonde.  
Neville just asked if Harry was ok. When Harry replied affirmatively, Neville smiled and wished him luck. Then the Gryffindor and the Ravenclaw left for the greenhouse.

Harry didn't find anyone else on the way, and that was ok with him. He wanted to use these lonely moments to reflect, to try to inject order into his chaotic life.

The Gryffindor duly transformed into his Animagus form. He spread his majestic wings and flew out of the Owlery. While he was lazily flying around, he noticed a small barn owl approaching Hogwarts and decided to dive-bomb it. He climbed further and then put his wings close to his body, he swooped down on the owl and effectively startled the poor animal, who must have thought the impressive eagle would eat him.

Feeling satisfied with this bit of mischief, proving he was indeed the son of James Potter, Harry quickly grew bored and decided to go to Hogsmeade.  
It was a breeze to fly to the town, land in front of the Three Broomsticks and transform into Harry Potter. Although Madam Rosmerta did not want to serve him alcoholic beverages at first, Harry's charm convinced her to allow it this one time.

Harry was consuming his second Firewhisky glass when he asked himself if he should drink more. Granted, he didn't have to drive to Hogwarts, still he had to fly to Hogwarts, and judging from his adventures while an invisible eagle, flying was hard to do.

Eventually Harry stopped with that second glass and he drank more Pumpkin juice, until Rosmerta kept glaring at him and he realized it was time to return to Hogwarts.  
Harry left the Three Broomsticks and walked to the alley ahead. There, protected by the shadows, he transformed into an eagle and began to fly back to Hogwarts.

Assuming the shape of the eagle just calmed Harry. It was as if all his troubles washed away. Harry wondered if Sirius felt the same way when he transformed into Padfoot while he was in Azkaban.

The reminiscence about his godfather, which would be painful at other times, was taken now with acceptance and pride in having known this courageous man. He realized that Sirius was with him always, as were his parents and Remus. This gave him a measure of comfort.

Soaring above the silver Earth was also entrancing, until he remembered that he had to go down and face the everyday travails of life.

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The next morning, Draco ate breakfast hurriedly at 7:00 am. Hopefully everybody was busy either sleeping or maybe getting ready for the Hogsmeade weekend tomorrow.

Draco saw a visibly exhausted Harry lurch to the Gryffindor table. Draco finished his small breakfast and went to Harry.  
He sat down next to the Gryffindor and said, "What troubles you, Harry?"

Harry replied, "I don't know, Draco, just a general malaise."  
"I'm sorry I have to go away for some days. Do you want to come with me?"

Harry replied, "No, that's ok. I have things to do here."  
"If you need me Harry, just tell me. You're the most important thing in my life right now. I'll do everything to protect you."

Harry cracked a smile and he said, "I'll hold you to that, Draco." Then Harry began to eat tiredly.  
On his way out to go to Liz's, Draco literally jumped into Robert Lehmke. The brunet turned intense brown eyes his way, and started talking, "I think I've got it, Draco!"

Draco replied irritably, "Got what, Robert? Can you be more specific?"  
Robert replied, "Do you remember that room in your Manor which we wanted to have impervious to magic?"

Draco remembered that indeed. The room had engaged their attention from time to time, but all attempts to rend it impervious to magic had lamentably failed. So what could have Robert so excited?

Draco said more gently, "Yes, I remember, Robert. You found something?"  
"The beginnings of an idea. We know physical fields like the electric and magnetic ones, perhaps there are magical fields, and that is why they interact with each other and ruin electronic goods."

Draco nodded, and kept nodding as Robert's ideas started to sound more exciting, but he could not follow the scientific terms involved. So Draco interrupted the brunet Slytherin's exposition saying, "It sounds very interesting, Robert. I'm sure you could discuss this better with Terry. He also likes science a lot. I'm sure he could point interesting derivations."

Draco made it to Liz's without encountering any one else from the gang, and he was grateful for that.  
Liz snorted and mock-glared at him as Draco innocently said, "This time the Headmistress knows I'm going, Liz. She's given me permission to visit Blaise in Beauxbatons."

Liz took out a black pen from her robe and gave it to Draco. She said, "The portkey will take you near to Beauxbatons and back. To activate simply say '_Bon voyage_.'"

Draco duly said the words and felt the usual hook in his navel as he was transported to Languedoc.

He arrived in the outskirts of Nîmes, under an intense sun. Draco espied carriages pulled by Thestrals nearby and gingerly sat down in one. He ordered the beast to take him to Beauxbatons. The draconian horse neighed and did not move. Finally the blond asked politely the horse, in French, to please transport him to Beauxbatons. The Thestral seemingly snorted as he started moving towards the school.

Beauxbatons enclosed a space of more than three acres. It had several towers, each about 100 feet high and 97 in diameter. Two of the outer sides were built flush with the edge of the hill, forming ramparts. Broad doors led inside.  
Where the hill widened under the relentless Languedoc sun, was a town of perhaps 300 houses and a square-towered monastery.

Draco met Blaise near the northern enclosure. The former Slytherin beamed at Draco as he hugged him, drawling, "You came, Draco. You came! You all managed to defeat that crazy Law, didn't you? Lucky Pansy and lucky me, I won't have to become Swiss to escape the clutches of the damned Law!"

Draco hugged the exuberant Zabini back as he answered, "Yes, we won. With Shacklebolt out of office and Weasley thoroughly shaken, Lucius tells me the Ministry appears to be utterly demoralized and they won't try the same stunt, knowing it could be them who die or go to jail."

"Actually I came to visit the South of France and since you were so near, I decided to visit you first. Tomorrow I will go to Arles in Provence, hoping to find what I'm looking for in a catacomb or two."

A concerned Blaise said, "What are you looking for, Draco? Are you still intent on getting one up on Potter? Sort of like a giant payback for all the past struggles? Don't do it! Remember the stunt with the Dementor and the ambush in the Express after FifthYear! Just let the past go!"

A visibly irritated Draco answered succinctly, "It is not like that at all Blaise. I have a small clue, and I seek to find the answer to a puzzle. This is not fueled by my past anger towards Harry.  
"I found two strange words, one in Latin and one in French. I was told Provence might be fruitful for my search for the meaning and context of these words."

Blaise snorted as he guided Draco toward the school cafeteria, greeting warmly the passing students. He replied, "And you are going to traipse around Arles searching for that elusive answer. Typical Draco!"

The blond glared at Blaise as the black Beauxbatonnier continued undaunted, "If you did this like you should, Draco, you would have come to seek my peerless aid."  
They ordered _cassoulet_ and _poularde à la Toulouse_, or rather Blaise did, because Draco was busy glaring at the walls and the floor.

Finally they sat down and started eating. Blaise continued, "I think you should skip Provence. If you're looking for the history behind the words, then you need context, and Provence has been pillaged too many times for much context to have survived.

"I think I have an auspicious place you can look into. Near my ancestral Manor in Belinzona, in the canton of Ticino, there is a monastery. It's supposed to harbor a wide collection of ancient manuscripts, both Muggle and Wizard, spanning from the 4th to the 8th centuries. Although they have suffered depredations through the years, my ancestors jealously guarded their history and liberty.

"You can look there to your heart's content. Unfortunately I have already made plans for tomorrow, but I can easily finagle a portkey to take me there on Sunday." Blaise took out a key and held it for Draco, saying, "Here! Take mine; it will take you to the Manor. You know the password to my homes. This one here works with a simple _Portus_."

Draco asked Blaise how his cousin Etienne was faring. Blaise replied, "The wanker was still moaning over having lost such an illustrious bride. Then yesterday he turned up with his new girlfriend!"

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On Sunday, Blaise used the portkey provided by Director Lavoisier. He arrived at Zabini Manor at 10:00 am. After speaking with the house-elf Gigio, Blaise went to the garden to find Draco Malfoy meditating deeply about life, or so it seemed.  
Blaise greeted Draco and asked him if the search had been fruitful. A somber Draco nodded and then asked wistfully, "Do you ever get the feeling that you are facing irresistible odds, Blaise?"

Blaise pondered the question and replied, "Yes, I know that feeling you speak about. I used to feel it all the time during Voldemort's ascendancy. I thought I would have to follow the Death Eaters, I thought of you often, you know, helpless in that Manor of yours. Unable to leave Voldemort. Unable to change, trapped like a windbound ship. Awaiting fate, or a miracle.

"So I know the utter hopelessness that you mention. But you can do something to improve the odds, even if a little. You can always try. You've always struck me as someone who doesn't give up so easily, Draco. Whatever the Trio threw at you, you came back and haunted them, or tried to. Voldemort forced you to do his bidding because he held the life of your parents in his slimy palm. Even then I am sure you defied him, perhaps unobtrusively and minutely, but in such a way to ensure an outcome unfavorable to Voldemort."

Draco made to speak but Blaise peremptorily raised his hand to indicate he had more to say. The black boy sat next to Draco and continued, "Don't tell me what your mysterious quest is. Just know that if you need any help you can come to me. After all, we've survived Slughorn's classes together, what more could happen?"

The boys laughed and looked out the window. The sky was intensely blue, there was snow, it was biting cold and it seemed like you could see for miles.  
Blaise proposed going to Lake Lugarno. After he coaxed Gigio to take them there by elf apparition, the three arrived behind a hill, Blaise and Draco quietly melded with the crowd and they motioned for Gigio to go back to the Manor.

They looked at the majestic lake, the snow-covered trees, the nearby mountains, and Draco felt uplifted.

Blaise motioned for Draco to follow him. They went beyond a small hill and Blaise flourished two miniature broomsticks he pulled out of his pocket. Blaise said, "I've noticed how flying seems to relax you, Draco, so I took the liberty of taking these two brooms." He took out his wand, flourished it energetically and the brooms duly grew to their normal size."

Draco huffed, "But people will see us!"  
Blaise smirked as he replied, "Are you dumb or what? That is why we will use invisibility charms, won't we?"

Draco grinned as he took the broom and muttered a charm on himself. Soon he noticed Blaise do the same. Both teenagers also charmed their broomsticks to remain inconspicuous to everybody, except themselves. They didn't want to crash while invisible!

Flying under the Swiss sun, enjoying such a brisk morning and breathtaking view, Draco appreciated the gift of thoughtfulness offered by Blaise. Up here was where a part of him would always belong, soaring with the eagles as they rode the currents upward, watching the Earth serenely go by below. For a moment he tasted paradise.

But he also knew that harsh tasks awaited him. Tasks which could destroy him or those he loved. The future was unclear.

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**January 18th, 1999  
Hogwarts**

That morning, Hermione noticed something strange in Draco's behavior. The blond seemed distraught with something, as if he was pondering something important. He was seated next to Harry. He didn't participate much in the lively debate going on at the Ravenclaw table. Maybe it had to do with the lofty atmosphere of the discussion, as Hermione heard snippets of the conversation that had Robert Lehmke and Terry Boot so enthralled, '_magnetic induction fields,' 'magical repellent devices,' 'assured magical attraction.'_ Heaven knew that even she found such a conversation abstruse in the extreme.

The Head Boy and Girl obviously shared her views, if the sight of them tugging on their hair was any indication. Dean even made the strategic decision to head for the Gryffindor table instead of seating beside his girlfriend Hannah, although judging by Hannah's glare that might be one decision Dean could come to regret.

After their breakfast had ended, Hermione went to Herbology class with Ron. The redhead seemed withdrawn and sullen since the defeat of the Marriage Law. Hermione had emphatically told him that she would not marry him for the time being. She was of a mind to go to University or perhaps travel the world and go to Australia. Based on Justin's recommendations, she had submitted her stories to a web site she expected her parents would read.

Herbology was duly followed by Potions, which she found quite boring. Frankly, when she was the friend of a potions expert such as Draco, Slughorn's theatrics seemed a bit old. Hermione harrumphed as she remembered the thing with the Half-Blood Prince book and how she warned Harry about this. But did he listen? No, he did not. Luckily the war had changed him a lot and helped him mature.

Following lunch, Hermione had History of Magic, a class she had to stay alert in, because on her notes depended the good grades of most of her year. It was an honor she had found exciting at first, but now seemed stressful.

Mr. Binns droned on and on about a Goblin Rebellion in the year 1649. She wondered idly if that was the same year Charles I was beheaded. She'd have to look it up. Hermione made a mental note to research this further. You never knew what little piece of knowledge might prove indispensable.

tbc


	23. Chapter 23

**January 19th 1999  
Hogwarts**

Draco went to his Potions class. He took it together with the Hufflepuffs, and he sat between Susan and Justin. Susan was wearing her blonde hair free, and was beaming.

Draco asked her _sotto voce_ what was up, as they got the ingredients and prepared to dice and cut. Draco valiantly took out the slimy frog eyes and put them in the cauldron. Susan answered his questions, murmuring, "Robert got accepted in that American university, Harvard, and he's asked me to go with him!" She tugged at some strands of her hair as she continued, "I still haven't accepted. I need to discuss this with dad. But I'll probably go. I hear Harvard is in Massachusetts, and maybe I could attend the Healer School at Salem!"

Justin leaned in to add a vial of crocodile tears. Susan rolled her eyes and took out the hippogriff feather, making sure to taunt Draco about his misadventure with the enraged hippogriff.

Horace Slughorn approached the table daintily. He observed them and offered no comment. Truth to tell, he was miffed at the three students. He'd offered them a spot in the Slug Club and they had declined. Mr. Malfoy citing his homework, Miss Bones using the specious pretext of her onerous duties as Head Girl, and Mr. Finch-Fletchley citing urgent business requiring his presence in London. The recalcitrant students were missing the chance of their lifetimes!

Justin leaned towards Draco. He dropped his crushed forget-me-nots into the cauldron and said, "I need to talk with you, Draco. Soon if you please."  
They were interrupted by the officious voice of Slughorn, "No speaking during classes, Mr. Finch-Fletchley. You will serve detention with Ms. Lehmke and 10 points from Hufflepuff!"

Justin just tugged his curls hard, as Draco and Susan shot sympathetic glances his way.  
Eventually they finished the potion, which Draco could brew flawlessly, since he'd learned it from his godfather. It was called '_Tempus celeritas,'_ it accelerated perceptual thought, so that it seemed that an hour had transpired, when in reality only one minute had passed.

Draco filled the required vial for Slughorn, not forgetting to fill their own, and he cleaned the cauldron using magic.  
The trio made their way to an unused classroom near Hufflepuff they had adopted as their own. The room looked cozy in black, yellow, blue and red draperies. They'd convinced a few house-elves to help them. Hermione's help regarding this had been effective. She had learned to treat the little elves with some innate courtesy and stop meddling so much in their lives. She didn't harangue them any longer to revolt, she just offered competent advice.

Of course she still worked on other ways to free the elves, but she no longer felt they had to listen to what she had to say and obey on the spot. That would be almost as bad as the way some masters treated them.

The elves had cleared the room and repaired the furniture that was left there. As a result, the room looked cozy with several couches, two tables, several chairs, a chalkboard and a box brought by Justin, claiming it was to keep cool his stash of diet colas, which he fiercely protected from a marauding Draco.

Hannah was sitting on a couch, locked in a passionate embrace with Dean Thomas. Terry was looking at them with a bored expression, as he launched a discussion with Robert Lehmke about their obsession: science and magic.

Daphne walked up to Justin and embraced him tightly from behind. She gave him a glass filled with diet cola as she kissed his ear. She asked, "You look a little rattled. Had a bad class?"

Justin answered, "Yes, you could say that. Slughorn was being his obnoxious self, which he is to everyone he doesn't want to impress. I wonder what Dumbledore saw in him to hire him."

Hannah commented, "The same thing he saw in Quirrell, Gilderoy Lockhart, and Mad-eye Moody. It's weird that being all-knowing and all-twinkling, he always let the bad guys through to wreak havoc here."

Just then Hermione entered. She was carrying an armful of books, as was her wont. Dean and Robert quickly helped her put the volumes on the table. The lone Gryffindor looked around her, and noticing a dish with delicious-looking cookies, made for it as she grabbed a goblet of pumpkin juice.

Draco asked Justin, "What did you want to talk to me about, Justin?"  
The Hufflepuff answered, "I wanted to tell you that I found a good place for our office in London, in a side street next to Bond Street.

"I know that I'll go to Oxford to earn a Law degree, and you will do whatever Malfoys do after they graduate, but this could be a place for us to start our own business."

Draco commented, "I suppose I could go and study at the Wizarding Law School in Salamanca. I still don't know what I will do."  
Draco continued, "One thing I know is that I want to follow the case of werewolf oppression instigated by the Ministry. I want to correct this injustice."

Hermione commented, after she finished another cookie, "But I thought you hated werewolves fiercely, Draco. After all, Fenrir Greyback was a werewolf."

Draco answered her, "I hated that man with a passion, that is right. I also don't like werewolves that bite people. However, I recognized that not all werewolves are bad people. Remus Lupin was an example of that. The man was courteous, brave, smart and likable, all that a man could hope to be. He was also a werewolf, and it didn't matter.

"There's also the point that my little cousin, Teddy Lupin, might be a werewolf. If he is, I want him to lead a productive and happy life, notwithstanding his condition. I won't allow that someone discriminates against him because of something he didn't do."

Hermione asked confused, "But didn't you break all connections with the Tonks? Wasn't that what you said to Andromeda?"

Draco replied with a smirk, "I severed all connections with her, Granger. I did not mention Teddy at all. Teddy is my little cousin, and I will care for him in the background, if need be. He'll always have my support."

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In Malfoy Manor, Narcissa was tucking her daughter Miriam into bed, after telling her a story. She had found it soothing for both of them. Miriam was still struggling to cope with the presence of several other children during school hours. She was very reserved and shy, but there were encouraging signs suggesting she was learning to handle other people. Still, it was a stressful thing for her to do. Therefore, after eating dinner, she was usually ready for bed.

The Muggle Kindergarten in Salisbury proved to be a congenial place. The teacher was a severe Englishwoman with strictly braided hair, called Mrs. Benson. The group comprised 10 children from Salisbury or around the town. They learned songs, were taught the alphabet and had a nice time, barring the expected disagreements between the children.

Miriam was drowsy as she asked, "What happened to the dragon?"

"Well, they saw he was a Hungarian Horntail and therefore could not have eaten the princess, so they let him free. He flew away and he was never seen again in Schwann."

"I miss Conis!"

Narcissa answered gently as she tucked away a strand of Miriam's brown hair, "I'm sure you do, honey, but he's busy at school. I'm sure he'll visit soon."

Miriam sobbed as she repeated, "I miss him!"

Narcissa sighed as she gently rubbed Miriam's back and tried to calm her daughter. She mused that it had been far easier raising Draco. The miniature blond could be counted upon to demand things, and if they didn't go his way, to pout and whine. Eventually, though, the blond tired and turned to ask for what was possible, and all was forgotten. He rarely cried, he usually just plotted to get things done his way.

Miriam was more sensitive, and she needed reassurance, especially in this rocky beginning. It was obvious that she missed Draco, and Narcissa remembered a distant mirror. She said, "What about if you could see him frequently, Miriam?"

The brunette girl answered shyly, "He would come here to see me?"

Narcissa hated to dash the hopeful mood, but she had to be honest. "No, honey. He's busy at Hogwarts. However, there is a pair of mirrors, with which you can see the person from far away. Something like television. Do you know about TV, Miriam?"

Miriam nodded solemnly. Narcissa called on Seymour to fetch her copy of the Black Mirrors. She tried them on with Miriam and the little girl was excited about it all, until she yawned hugely. Narcissa put her back in her bed, kissed her forehead and walked out, closing the door silently.

Narcissa thought about how to get the Mirror to Draco. Using an owl could be dangerous for the Mirror, and she couldn't Apparate and leave Miriam alone in the Manor. Damned Lucius! He was probably gallivanting around with his friend Jason, while Narcissa got to do all the hard work.

Fortunately for Lucius, he came out of the Floo, wearing an expensive Armani suit and brushing his white-blond strands, which were ash-covered in places.

Narcissa recruited Lucius into taking the Mirror to Hogwarts. A disgruntled blond Apparated to the gates of the castle. He walked in and entered the Dungeons, and finally his son's room. After waiting half an hour for the boy to appear, Lucius got bored and left the Mirror on the table, with a covering note.

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People started leaving their cozy room. As Hermione made to get up, she got an interesting stare from Draco, with a slightly upturned eyebrow, that seemed to suggest he wanted to speak with her.

When they were left alone, Draco cast privacy charms. He also took out the Serpent's Map from his bag. He quickly perused it to make sure no invisible audience was present.

Satisfied for the moment, Draco looked up and stared intensely at Hermione as he asked, "How is your wandless magic coming along?"

Hermione answered excitedly, "I'm doing really well: just under one minute for most spells."  
Draco commented admiringly, "You are doing better than me, Granger. Good for you! What about _Occlumency_?"

"I can construct the mental image of the castle in around thirty seconds."

Draco frowned, "This is great news, Hermione. But I think you have to be faster."  
Draco started pacing to and fro, wringing his hands in quiet despair.

Draco said, "I'm afraid, Hermione. I know what the Anglo-Saxon warriors must have felt when they beheld their mortally wounded King Harold in Hastings, nearly a millennium ago. They knew that the kingdom had fallen to William and his upstart Normans. There was absolutely nothing they could do."

Hermione was scared. She had never seen Draco like this. She asked, "Can you tell me what is going on? Maybe having another person's point of view will offer more solutions."

Draco apparently took resolve out of thin air. He squared his shoulders and looked at Hermione. He said, "There's a test we must make. Can I cast _Legilimency_ on you and see what the results are?

Hermione nodded. Draco took out his wand and moving it lazily and effortlessly, he intoned '_Legilimens.'_ Hermione entered the magical trance quickly, as she had become quite proficient at the knack of reaching another level of thought while remaining simultaneously in this world.

She had a little trick up her sleeve. She'd mentally designed the defenses of her mind to be a metaphorical castle. The ramparts, the moat, everything was in place. All she had to do was deal with the bridge and things would fall into place. She could do this easily, having done most of the work beforehand.

So Hermione defended herself against _Legilimency_.  
After trying to read her mind for one minute, Draco ceased the attack. He said admiringly, "Well done, Hermione. As always, you impress me with the caliber of your mind.

"At any rate, we can proceed."

Draco, with a very serious face, asked Hermione, "Tell me, have I changed?"  
Hermione blinked, wondering how that could worry Draco so.

"Yes, of course you have changed a lot, Draco. You no longer are the snobby prat we used to detest. You no longer support the Pureblood supremacy theory. You are my good friend, as well as the good friend of the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. I would say you are a changed man. I'm glad of that, really."

Draco continued, "Then the old me is completely dead?"

She answered, "No, I can see moments when the old you comes out strong, like when you chastised Andromeda. It's just that it is part of a whole now. It's like a Wagnerian Opera, you could discern a _leit-motif, _and you would recognize it throughout the music, but it would not overwhelm it, though it would definitely inform the work."

Draco asked seriously, "Then tell me, Hermione, has Harry changed?"  
Hermione replied worriedly, "Sure, he has changed a lot; he's much more thoughtful and wise. He has become a respected leader."

Draco continued, "Has he changed completely?"  
Hermione answered, "No, of course he hasn't done so. He remains the boy I grew up with, the one who wants to save everyone. You should know, Draco, as he saved you himself!"

Draco sighed as he replied wearily, "I submit to you that the Wizarding World, including yourself, consider Harry a living demigod, an avatar come here to defeat the forces of evil.

"As a demigod, he is all-knowing and wise, of course, as behooves such a powerful being. Any radical change in that direction could be explained due to his mythical status and would soon be ignored.

"Adhering to this point of view, you forget something: Harry is human, he should be allowed to have flaws like a human being. They would not detract from his prowess but add to it, reminding us that we, too, could be heroes one day.

"According to this viewpoint, any change of Harry's toward an apparently wiser, all-knowing being is greeted warmly. It goes without saying that they don't much care about Harry's weaknesses, only his strengths, after all, they are counting on him to save them from future evil overlords.

"Tell me then, Gryffindor princess: How did powerful and wise Harry react to my kidnapping?"

Hermione replied warily, "At first he didn't want to do anything, but then he rallied to the cause and participated in the repeated searches for you throughout the castle."  
Draco asked, "How was I rescued, Hermione?"

"You should know, as it was Teddy's hand which activated the Serpent's Map and allowed us to find you."

"Then answer this, Granger: How come the almighty Potter didn't think to look up for me using his Marauder's Map?"

Hermione paled and staggered. She had never thought of that, and she should have! The Trio was used to employing the Marauder's Map to look for other people in Hogwarts. Harry still had it, as Hermione had seen it a week ago. Yet he never saw fit to look up Draco's whereabouts using the Map, though he professed to like him so much!

Malfoy flicked his wand with verve and _accio'd_ a filigreed Pensieve. He put it behind the table, near the chair where Hermione was seated. He took out a vial from his robe, opened it and poured the liquid inside the Pensieve. He said gently, "I need you to look at something, Hermione."

A nearly hysterical Hermione replied, "Why, why are you doing this, Draco?"

"Because I can't do this on my own. You are the only one who can help me. Together, we'll deal with this and will make it history."  
Draco said, "This happened some weeks ago."

Hermione submerged her face in the Pensieve's liquid and entered a memory.

She could tell it was night. There was a ferocious wind coming through that moved the flames of the sconce, casting strange-looking shadows that danced in all directions. The nervous hooting of the birds alerted her to the fact that she was in the Owlery. She didn't find their hooting soothing, as Harry had claimed.

There was a figure leaning on the wall. She recognized the curly blond hair, the gaudy rings, and the outlandish eyeglasses. Here was Rita Skeeter. She wished she could really physically affect the memory, and then she would force Skeeter to turn into a beetle and keep her confined for six months!

The next figure that approached, sauntering like a king, really unsettled the brunette. It was Harry!  
As Harry started talking to Skeeter, she studied him carefully and noticed things she hadn't really seen before, like the way his eyes twinkled whenever the mood took him, the careful way he negotiated each step towards Skeeter. His complete confidence.

Harry informed Skeeter about the measures being discussed to throw out the Marriage Law. He reminded her that she had promised her support for the Law and she had to keep offering that support, or bad things would happen to her, all this was said in a seemingly benevolent tone.

The interview ended and Harry started to walk away. He said good-bye to Skeeter and turned. His eyes appeared cruel and calculating one moment, twinkling with glee the next.

The memory ended. Hermione came up gasping.

Draco guided her to a chair. As she sat down he offered her some cookies and plain water. He said, "Some weeks ago, while I was idly playing with the Serpent's Map, I noticed Harry's and Skeeter's presence in the Owlery. I was dumbfounded. Why would they meet? What did Skeeter want?"

"I already had my doubts about Harry's behavior. This just accentuated those ominous thoughts. I could not confront Harry directly, so I decided to seek the information with Skeeter. I met her some days ago and she offered this memory."  
"How did you get her to give you the memory? Did you use _Imperio_?

Draco smiled bitterly as he replied, "Of course I did no such thing, Granger! I merely suggested that there were bad things she could face. The Malfoy influence surely weighed heavily on her mind." Draco collected the memory and put it in the vial again, using the wand.

Then Draco moved his hand imperiously and said, "There is one more thing you have to see, Hermione, before we proceed further. This memory occurred some days ago." He directed his hawthorne wand against his temple and intoned the spell. The silver strand began collecting at the end of the wand. Draco moved the wand toward the Pensieve and Hermione couldn't help but note how shiny the memory was.

Hermione submerged herself in the memory and arrived at a room richly furnished. The chairs and desk were of an austere, classical design reminiscent of Rococo. There was an exquisitely wrought metal sword with scabbard hanging on the wall. On the desk there was a filigreed jewel box. She didn't need to see anything else to know she was in the office of a goblin, and a powerful one at that. She had read that only the most important goblins had access to their swords.

She looked behind the desk intently, seeing a short and dark-skinned goblin, whose very long fingers perused an agenda of some sort. He wore a pointed hat.

On the other side of the desk were seated two blonds: Lucius and Draco Malfoy. Draco looked tense and worried, though most people would have missed that. However, Hermione had gotten to know the blond really well, and could tell his moods, even under that Malfoy mask.

The goblin said, "You have won the battle against the Marriage Law. You should celebrate! Instead you seek mysteries, and if I do not comply you will withdraw the Malfoy monies from Gringott's and move them with those awful Swiss _Kobolden_!

"I am forced to comply. Hear well, then, for I will not repeat myself. One week after the Final Battle, a wizard came to consult with us about a grandiose plan he had to finally end the blood feuds that have been hurting the humans for so long. Coincidentally, that plan would mean a big profit for Gringott's. All that was required of us was to obey the forms and look the other way as control passed from the heirs to the caretakers named by the Ministry.

"This plan, as you must know, is the Marriage Law. It seeks to abolish the difference between Purebloods, Halfbloods and Muggleborns by marrying them one to another. The wizard was convinced that would end the wars for good. The bonus of the plan was to gain control over the Pureblood fortunes that are forever locked to us due to those pesky Inheritance charms. The casters never thought about this recipe, though. When the rightful heirs are born, wrest control of the finances from the Purebloods' hands due to friendly judges decreeing wanted divorces, granting guardianships according to our will.

"Gringott's would receive 20 per cent of the profits. Given the sizes of the purebloods' fortunes, this insured great income for many years, and now it has come to naught!"

Lucius asked, "Woodgrinder, who was this wizard?"

The goblin replied exasperatedly, "The redoubtable Harry Potter, who else? Who else would have the pull and contacts in the Ministry to do what he has done? Who else could have Shacklebolt's utter trust?

"The Vanquisher of Voldemort possesses undeniable political charisma. He's not afraid to use it, though he uses it sparingly and wisely. Reminds me of someone I used to know."

The memory ended and Hermione was again led to the couch, as Draco offered her some pumpkin juice. Hermione blubbered, "But why? It doesn't make any sense, Draco!"

Draco sat down beside Hermione and nursed a diet cola he had managed to liberate from Justin. He replied grimly, "On the contrary, it makes all the sense in the world, Hermione. Who was paired with whom? If I remember correctly, Lavender was my fiancée and the Weasel snorted lustily, _as if he already knew_. Weasel got you, his dream lady; Harry got Ginny. Coincidentally, he'd asked Ginny out but she had the courage to turn him down, but now, obeying the Marriage Law, she had to comply to their courtship and eventual marriage.

"In fact, the Golden Trio managed to get the partners they wanted. At least pertaining to Harry and Weasel. The rest of us were paired with whoever was deemed convenient or easy to use, as Lavender must have seemed docile to the future handlers.

"This would suggest that Harry and the Weasel knew about the Marriage Law beforehand. It argues that they, or at least Harry, created it.

"Harry is trapped, and it is up to you and me to rescue him."

Then Draco continued in a mournful voice, "But this is not the worst. The worst is yet to come, Hermione. It can be summarized in two words."

tbc


	24. Chapter 24

Draco asked Hermione earnestly, "Granger, what's in a name?"

Hermione sat up and began to munch on a granola bar, which had been in that mysterious box of Justin's. She answered contemplatively, "A name may indicate the meaning, purpose or descriptions of the object or thing. It serves to place the object in its own light, metaphorically speaking."

Draco nodded and took a sip from the diet cola he was holding. He continued, "I believe that you are correct, but a name holds much more than this. It has historical context, it tells us about the environment surrounding that word as it was coined."

Draco stopped and munched nervously on a Chocolate Frog. He continued in a somber tone, "For example, the name of a certain tool would explain whether it is made of wood or metal and could lead us to a geographical area. If we narrow down the world to a particular region and era, it becomes much easier to research the context of the word, studying the geographical and cultural area in which it was coined."

The blond continued, "A name is more than a description. It fits into the historical environment like a part of a puzzle."

Draco took out the Serpent's Map from his bag. He activated it, holding it in his hand and he invited Hermione to watch it along with him. He said, "The Map is now attuned to sense the dominating magical feature of the person. I've also made the icons look nicer."

Hermione looked at their icons, the smirking snake and the now seemingly calm lion. Then she read the words beneath their names and she said, full of awe, "Can you do this, Draco? Can I?"

Draco said affably, "You can do that, Hermione."

Hermione followed the Map as Draco moved his index finger. The Map showed the different corridors and staircases, finally arriving at Gryffindor Tower.

Hermione looked with trepidation as the Map showed the Gryffindor common room. Several students were there, including Ginny. Hermione was pleased to note that beneath the words Ginevra Weasley was the word _Animagus_.  
The redhead would be pleased that she had that ability!

Hermione's momentary upbeat mood crashed down to Earth seemingly hard, however. The Map moved, following Draco's command, and it showed the interior of Harry's bedroom.

Harry was apparently lying on the bed. Draco moved his finger sideways and the Map zoomed. Thus Hermione was able to see Harry's icon, and the two words beneath his name, words which sent a feeling of despair so profound she wanted to jump out from the Astronomy Tower. Hermione felt exhausted, as if she couldn't breathe deep enough. She went to the couch and lay down. The ominous and malign words beneath Harry's name were '_hors crux.'_

Draco said, "These are the words whose provenance I sought to research. As you suggested, I was going to look in Provence. On the way there, I visited Blaise and he suggested that I look in a place located in the Ticino canton. I found a monastery with ancient manuscripts."

"What I read…" Hermione rose up and started to say something, when Draco held up his hand and said softly, "Allow me to explain, Mione.

"_Hors crux_ is clearly French mixed with Latin, as would sometimes be done in the waning days of the Roman Empire. It means, 'Out of the nucleus,' in Spanish '_Fuera del núcleo_.' At any rate, it has come to denote the process wherein a sliver of the soul is separated from the whole and cast outside, thereby insuring some kind of immortality.

"In the ancient manuscripts, I read about the harsh struggles of the natives. They were subjected to the depredations of the Saxons, Franks, Romans, Vandals and others. Very often only a strong chieftain could save them. If they made a false step they were doomed.

"So the chieftains sought to make the transition easier. The earliest manuscript about this theme speaks of the magic powered by the strongest emotions, and the coin that must be paid, a life for a life.

"Later interpretations of the spell concentrated on the emotion of hate, and the offering of a victim to make a hors crux of a non-living or living thing. Yet the earliest extant mentions of this spell tell us about the most powerful emotion, love; and the offering of the caster's life. Some chieftains in fact offered themselves up for love of their village, they died while focusing their immense love in one person. Later their reincarnated wisdom helped that village. They endured and prospered, even in the midst of ruins."

Draco took a sip from his diet cola, which he was clutching as if it were a lifeline to a more secure, less mad place. Draco said, "I've become aware that Voldemort had several horcruxes, created out of hate, until Harry destroyed them all. I can also surmise that Voldemort used living horcruxes, including Nagini and Harry himself. Though Harry has tried to keep this from me, I heard the story through Ginny."

Draco looked earnestly at Hermione as he continued, "I submit to you that when Dumbledore died, he sacrificed himself so he could live in Harry. Potter became then a horcrux, a _hors crux_ for Dumbledore. That's why the Map points it out. It's his current salient magical feature.

"Tell me, Mione, why else would Dumbledore petrify Harry and made him witness the theater play that was his staged death at the hands of Severus, the whole scene in the Astronomy Tower? Instead of letting Harry fight the Death Eaters, he knowingly cut him off at the knees. I think events that year were carefully engineered to arrive at that particular moment.

"Dumbledore needed Harry present to wandlessly cast the spell. He also didn't want to face Harry's 'untoward' reactions.

"During the Triwizard Tournament, strange things happened, like teachers turning students into ferrets, senior government officials seemingly dying at Hogwarts, tampering with the supposed foolproof Goblet of Fire. What did Dumbledore do? Bumbling around and twinkling ineffectively his eyes, projecting an image of bonhomie that ultimately didn't help.

"During my kidnapping, what did Harry do? At first refuse to help, then lackadaisically participate in the search. Not really caring to use his Marauder's Map.  
"How can two such extraordinary wizards behave so similarly during a crisis?

"I have always felt that the explanation provided by Harry about why the Elder wand obeys him is a little fishy. What he is saying is that if I get your wand, Hermione, then all your wands belong to me. Even the future ones!

"This doesn't make any magical sense at all. The way the Elder wand works does not depend on the abstruse theory of some wandmaker, but relies on the fact that a piece of Dumbledore's soul resides in Harry. Therefore the Elder wand obeys its true master, Dumbledore, when it follows Harry's commands."

Hermione started hyperventilating. Draco went to her side, he held her and gently rubbed circles on her back. With one hand, he managed to take out the Calming Draught vial he had carried expressly for this meeting. He gave the vial to Hermione.

The brunette drank it as Draco said, "We will save him, Hermione! But I can't do it alone. I need your help. I need your strength, and Harry needs it as well. Together we'll save him; together he'll be set free and find shelter from the storm!"

Once Hermione calmed down, Draco continued his exposition, "Looking back over the last year, and hearing the story from your side, I get the feeling that there was a benevolent hand directing you. It is wonderful how Severus knew _exactly_ when Harry needed to find the Gryffindor sword and sent him his Patronus. It's also wonderful how Harry received the Snitch and knew _exactly_ what the clue entailed.

"I think the coincidences multiply until they become overwhelmingly strange. To me it seems clear that Dumbledore somehow controlled things, even from beyond the grave. How could this be? It's easy to explain if part of Dumbledore's soul resided in Harry. He would communicate unobtrusively his knowledge and everyone would rest assured that their hero Harry Potter had things under control.

"Ginny has told me about Harry's encounter with Dumbledore in King's Cross after Voldemort killed Harry. Why hasn't anyone wondered how it could be that among all souls, Harry had to meet Dumbledore? Why not his parents or Sirius Black or Remus Lupin? Why did it have to be Dumbledore? Similar things attract, and the thread that binds them, forced them to meet."

Hermione said calmly, if a little distractedly, "I refuse to think that Dumbledore is evil!"

Draco replied forcefully, "For the purposes of this talk, to me it doesn't matter if Dumbledore is the Wizard version of the Dalai Lama or a mean demon. Either way, what interests me is that someone is taking away Harry's choices, his will, his life. Again, I'll need your help, Granger.

Draco continued, "I want to point out Harry's duplicitous game, where he is scheming to marry Ginny through the Marriage Law while he tries to actively pursue a relationship with me. That is something extremely manipulative and Byzantine that Dumbledore would surely do.

"Another thing, Harry did not show that he liked me before he became a _hors crux_, yet now Harry says he can not live without me.

"My nagging doubt, the thought that haunts me, is that this may all be Dumbledore's design.

"Thanks to Skeeter, we know that Dumbledore was gay. Dumbledore may be influencing Harry so the game is repeated. Dumbledore was also great friends with the Dark wizard Grellert Grindelwald, they were even lovers. Eventually they fought and Grindelwald ended up in Nurmengard prison. I cannot help but ask myself, is that supposed to be my fate, too?"

Hermione commented, "But in that case, if we heal Harry, he may decide to woo Ginny instead of you."

Draco, having finished the cola can, got up to get a glass of pumpkin juice. He turned to face Hermione and said passionately, "I don't care if Harry is gay, bi or straight. If he decides to go for Ginny, my heart will be broken, but I will recover, knowing that it is Harry taking the decisions.

"I've known what it feels to be made to follow another's direction on pain of your life. I can only imagine what Harry's soul is going through; I will not leave him alone. I will not sit and do nothing when Harry goes through the motions of being a demigod, while his mind is in turmoil. I would much rather have a flawed, yet human Harry, able to decide on his own."

Hermione said, "But why would Harry support a Marriage Law?"

Draco answered, "You forget it is not Harry, but Dumbledore. Probably he functions as Harry's 'conscience.' He knows how Harry suffers from guilt, and he may have used that to further his means. He could mentally hint to Harry that another pureblood war is inevitable, unless conditions change dramatically. What better way to effect change than eliminating the Purebloods by making them marry Muggleborns? And Dumbledore is certainly a skillful politician; he knows how to get his way. Perhaps by subtly buying Ministry officials, promising the redistribution of the Pureblood wealth. Harry certainly talked with Woodgrinder, the General Manager of Gringott's, to get his support in this mad scheme.

"The thing that we must always take into account in dealing with these matters is the difference between possession and seduction. In possession, like Ginny's in the Chamber of Secrets, the victim may realize that something is wrong, yet they are powerless to stop it. In seduction, the victim is brainwashed into doing something out of their own free will.

"Harry was stuck up with his dreadful relatives for 10 years. No one bothered to check the living conditions there, even though he was the boy who saved us all. When he had the chance to see the Wizarding World and perform magic he jumped and grabbed it. His friends were duly met that day in the Hogwarts Express, perhaps with a little nudge from Dumbledore. The aged Headmaster became Harry's hero and mentor figure, especially when he sacrificed himself so nobly for the cause.

"There are two mental images one can have from the former Headmaster, he could be all-knowing, all-twinkling and all-powerful, or he could be a bumbling fool that let appalling things happen at Hogwarts without lifting a finger. Each of these images can stand on their own, but they cannot be true together, they contradict each other at the deepest level. I'll take an all-knowing Dumbledore.

"Dumbledore knows about Harry's ideals, because he carefully cultivated them. He knows Harry's weakness; chief among them is Harry's lack of guile. He tends to trust everyone. It must be child's play for Dumbledore.

"What Dumbledore didn't count on was me. I'm the unknown in the equation. You know Harry very well, Hermione. You have been in many adventures together with him and Weasel. He's always treated you politely and protected you; you have protected him in return.

"Still, I know him from a very different angle. I know him like a hunter knows a weary lion that lives in the nearby savannah. The hunter knows when the lion will pounce, what his weak points are, where his strengths lie. He is used to the growls, the unsheathed claws, and the subtle signal to attack. He knows this very well because survival demands it. Not even the lion's mate and cubs know him that well.

"I also know him as a friend. Harry saved the Malfoy family when you two declared in the Wizengamot, and I'll never forget that. I felt uplifted, joyous that Harry had finally noticed me positively. Things were progressing smoothly. Then I got the hunch that something was not right. I knew Harry very well, knew that his temper sometimes flared. Yet now he always kept his cool. It was remarkable at first, then quite uncanny.

"Surviving under extreme conditions like those imposed by Voldemort leaves its toll. I grew to be a little weary of unexplained things. Small things kept happening with Harry, like when we went to Dervish and Banges in Hogsmeade and all the Sneakoscopes went off."

Hermione bit her bottom lip as she remembered Ron's Sneakoscope, the one that kept malfunctioning in 12 Grimmauld Place until they had to get rid of it. Obviously the Sneakoscopes were reacting to Harry's, or to express it more exactly, Dumbledore's plots.

Draco continued, "Those feelings led me to keep small things from Harry, like our opposition to the Marriage Law, and I'm glad I did that."

Hermione remembered something, and she spoke, "There is one inconsistency with the scenario you paint, Draco. During the war, Harry had a very heated exchange with Remus Lupin. In fact he lost his temper with the poor Remus and said very hurtful things. If Harry was under Dumbledore's control, he would not have done so!"

Draco tried to smile, but it came out rather feebly. He said, "That was during the period of time that Harry was still Voldemort's horcrux. Can't you see what it must be like, when the two horcruxes vied with each other? I think they may have neutralized each other, and Dumbledore's thoughts only came out when they were needed.

"After Voldemort's horcrux was destroyed, Dumbledore's had more leeway, and we began observing Harry's tilt towards good and safe.

Draco continued, "Of course this tilt went unnoticed, as people demanded that Harry perform to the usual standards of a hero, all affable and cheery. They care about the Boy Who Lived, and not Harry.

"Well, I care more about plain Harry. After saving the world, Harry must reap his reward and be free to make his own mistakes and grow old.

"Harry's situation is akin to that of a sea voyager in 1599, sailing a ship bound out of England, ruled by the Good Queen Bess, and seeking to land in Virginia, at the other end of the wide blue ocean. However, he meets contrary winds during the sailing, and the ship remains stationary within a hostile port. The voyager, looking windward, sees with desperation how small his supply of food and drink is getting. Beneath the cold Atlantic night, he checks the stars and finds his position unchanged. The voyager despairs of succor and prepares to meet the final dark night.

"Harry is alone amidst the crowds. He has lost his compass and I cannot help but imagine he's losing himself a bit every day, and Dumbledore is gaining ground. The world seemingly does not care, but I do, and I intend to prevent this outrage. Everything is leading to this moment, Dumbledore's and Voldemort's plotting, my father, you, myself, we all have our parts to play.

"I would inevitably fail acting alone, you and I together have a chance. We are not among the top students of Hogwarts for nothing! We will face the demon and stare the beast in the eyes as we succeed. Take care and use your abilities as an _Occlumens_ to the utmost. Harry must not know what we deliberate, or all is lost. We need to formulate a plan of attack."

Draco stood up and paced back and fro, waving his arms as he said forcefully, "I cannot, I will not let him face that alone! I will do what I can to help and succor my windbound Harry. Because he saved us and deserves to be saved in his hour of need. Because it is the right thing to do." Here Draco's voice broke a little as he fought not to sob, "And because I love him, and I want to see him free and proud."

Hermione, who was crying by now, joined him in a hug. A desperate Draco hugged her back. The two students collected themselves after a short while.

Hermione finally asked, "Why do you need my help, Draco? Couldn't you use the help of Susan or Hannah?"

Draco answered seriously, "You are the smartest witch I know. You also managed to gain mastery of wandless magic. You are a formidable _Occlumens_. This last is especially important, as I suspect Harry has been using _Legilimency_ on some of us to gain information about the Marriage Law. If he continues to do that with any of our group, we are still safe because he will be content with finding about our Marriage Law plans. However, if he suspects we know something deeper, he'll pounce."

"So you see why you are the only one I can trust with this information. This must remain our secret. Also, I need your ideas on how to get rid of Dumbledore's _hors crux_ while protecting Harry.

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An exhausted Draco made it to his rooms, only to discover a Black Mirror with a note from his father. The blond read the note; taking a quick look at his watch, he found it was still comparatively early at 10:00 pm. It had felt that a great deal of time had passed while he had been talking to Hermione, but it had only been 3 hours.

Sighing, Draco reached for the Mirror and intoned, "Miriam Malfoy! Come on, Mi! I know you are there!" Draco knew that Miriam disliked being called Mi, but following the hallowed traditions of older brothers everywhere, he liked to harass Mi now and then.

Grumbling, Miriam discerned her brother, and following the esteemed traditions of younger sisters around the world, she decided to tease him.

Miriam said, "What's up, Conis? Still drawing as bad as ever?"

Draco said, "You just don't understand Cubism, Mi. You'll learn when you get older. How are mother and father doing?"  
Miriam made a moue of distaste as she answered, "They left me to eat dinner alone! They said they had a disagreement they had to attend to, and just left."

Draco pondered how to tell the truth and protect his sister's delicate ears at the same time. He said, "Well, leave them to do their stuff. Trust me, Mi, you don't want to barge in on them when they are like this." Mentally Draco tried to erect mental bulwarks against the image of his father and mother enthusiastically snogging each other in their bedroom, being surprised by a six-year old Draco.

The blond continued, "What are you learning in school?"

Miriam answered proudly, "We are learning to read. Although I know most of the words we use, I have difficulty spelling them right. We're also learning arithmetic. There's an hour where we listen to children's tales, and they are boring.

"I prefer mother's tales; they're very good, especially the ones dealing with dragons."  
"When are you going to the counselor?"

"Mother's taking me tomorrow. Mrs. Brown is a nice lady, and she talks very softly and kindly. Mother's also taking me to Milan for a shopping trip."

"Milan, mmh? Better you than me.  
"Listen, Miriam, I have to leave. I'm very tired and I need my sleep. It was nice talking to you and remember, don't barge in on Narcissa and Lucius! Believe me; you'll thank me for this advice later."

"Bye Conis! Nice talking to you, better luck with your awful drawings!"

Draco put the Mirror carefully down in his trunk. He fell asleep with a smile on his face thinking about sweet Miriam. Later though, he had nightmares concerning the trying days they would surely face.

tbc


	25. Chapter 25

**January 20th, 1999  
Hogwarts**

After an uneasy night spent tossing and turning on the bed, Hermione took breakfast at the Gryffindor table, observing Harry and the twinkle in his eyes, his annoying cheerfulness and bonhomie; disturbing because they were always on display. The fact was that everyone could insult him and he didn't react, like in the case of Smith's attacks. She pondered why no one had noticed this.

In her mind, she imagined someone noticing, like brave Dean or Justin, and going to speak with Harry about his strange behavior. No doubt Dumbledore would obliviate them ruthlessly.

Draco was seated at the Hufflepuff table, where Justin gently chided him for being out of it. They started talking about the firm. Justin asked, "What will we call it, Draco?"

The blond replied worriedly, "Malfoy & Finch-Fletchley, of course. We'll be the best solicitors the world has seen!"

Justin whined, "Why do you have to go away to Salamanca?"

"It's where the Law school for magic is located. I'd be following precedent going there!"

Justin muttered as he replied, "Why don't you go to Oxford with me? I know you are not so keen on traditions now. Come on, it'll be fun." Then Justin dangled a very powerful carrot in front of the blond Slytherin. "You can watch all sorts of movies and drink cola whenever you want!"

Draco pondered as he replied, "That will need looking into, Justin. I'll have to think about that!"

Justin inquired, "Why are you so gloomy, Draco? Something bad is going to happen?"

Draco replied, "I don't know, Justin, I can't imagine."

Changing the topic, Justin asked, "What do you know about werewolf legislation?"

Draco replied, "I've heard they are discriminated against. They have difficulty holding a job, they are made to register and they cannot have children. It's a disastrous situation. They need all the help they can get."

The blond asked, "But what about gay marriage, Justin, how is the situation here?"

"Gay marriage is allowed in parts of Europe. Currently it is not permitted in Britain. A thing that should be private, between two individuals, has become a clarion call to stop reform. One day, Mr. Jameson, a friend of dad's, received a phone call. It seemed his partner had a serious infection and was taken to the hospital. The partner stayed there 72 hours, and Mr. Jameson was not allowed to visit, because their relationship was not recognized by the State. I saw how the man suffered. It's a ghastly reminder of some people's pettiness."

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Ron was trying desperately to convince Hermione to go to Hogsmeade with him next weekend. After Harry was successful and got Mr. Weasley, the Minister of Magic, out of Muggle jail, Ron felt elated.

But when Hermione had triumphantly pointed out to him that the Marriage Law was invalid and they didn't have to marry, Ron felt deflated. Hermione tried to convince him that she still loved him, but she needed time to live a little, explore the world and find her niche.

Therefore Ron was intent on seducing Hermione, and he knew that a good Hogsmeade weekend could work wonders towards that goal. He'd even thought of going to Madam Puddifoot's.

Ron shouted to Hermione's retreating back, "Come on, Mione! Go there with me, we'll have fun!"

Hermione turned slowly and faced Ron. She'd never look more beautiful in Ron's eyes. Her wild hair, as free as she was; her beautiful, thoughtful face; the imperceptible scowl in her face, her shapely figure. She was dressed in a simple uniform and robe, and yet she made them her own.

She said, "I have important things to do, Ron! I must prepare for final exams, I must revise my notes, and I must tutor some young Gryffindors. There's no time to go to Hogsmeade right now." She paused as she saw Ron's hurt expression.

She added softly, "Maybe next week. I definitely want to go. Just let me program it in my schedule, ok?"

Draco had entered the Slytherin common room and was walking to his room when he was tackled from behind. He found himself with an armful of Harry. He kissed the brunet thoroughly and enjoyed it very much until he remembered the _hors crux_ problem.

They stopped, and Harry sat down on the edge of the bed. He seemed a little fidgety as he said, "What's the matter, Draco? We haven't been together for some time. Have you grown tired of me?"

Draco knew that the next minutes would prove to be pivotal, as he hastily raised his _Occlumency_ shields. Then he met Harry's intense stare. His green eyes twinkled. His intent expression at that moment looked more like Dumbledore's than like his sweet Harry's.

Before this year started, Harry's sweet side had been reserved for his friends. But he had watched avidly, as he did in all things involving Harry Potter. He watched the interactions of Harry with his friends, and he knew intimately that sweet expression, though it hadn't been directed to him at all. Until Dumbledore started to express himself.

It was very strange; to be cognizant of the fact that Dumbledore influenced Harry to such a degree, to eagerly desire for Harry's freedom without being assured of his love.

As far as Harry was concerned, when he returned to his senses, all this time might appear like a fog, and he would seek refuge in the person he trusted the most: Ginny Weasley.

So Draco was windbound, too. He was subjected to contrary winds and could not sail homeward until Harry's shackles were destroyed and the Gryffindor free.

Draco met Harry's stare head on. He held the Gryffindor's eyes as he employed his Slytherin qualities of cunning and misdirection to the maximum. He responded to Harry's query, "I'll never grow tired of you, my Harry. The truth is, I find this school year to be very taxing. Also I've got you to care for. The Marriage Law also wreaked havoc in my private time while it lasted. In its aftermath, I must deal with some business left undone.

"But you're always on my mind, Harry." Draco stood up and grabbed his bag, saying "Here, you can help me with this!" Draco took out a large sheaf of parchment from his bag and gave it to Harry, saying, "I need to write an essay about the magical qualities of imaginary roots of higher-level equations. It's for Arithmancy, so I have to quote the source notes. Will you help me, sweet Harry?"

His curiosity having been assuaged at the moment, Harry proceeded to nod sadly and fell to reading the boring manuscripts.

Draco saw Harry's sad expression and all his stern resolve flew out the window. He needed to communicate with Harry without Dumbledore's interference, but how to accomplish that?

Draco stood up and took two brooms. He said cordially to Harry, "Want to fly with me, Harry?"

After Draco reassured Harry he'd do his work later, Harry enthusiastically nodded and the boys went out of the Slytherin Common Room. They passed the Great Hall, reached the doors and kept going to the Quidditch Pitch.

Draco flew on his broom, happy to be flying in the Quidditch Pitch. He looked for Harry and didn't find him.

Harry was gleeful at the prospect of flying with Draco. It seemed he was of two minds about it, one part wanted to return to Hogwarts and leave the flying for later as unimportant, the other part wanted to soar like an Eagle.

So Harry decided to act like an Eagle. He transformed into his Animagus form and took off to surprise and harass Draco.

Draco was still looking for the elusive Harry when he observed peripherically a dark shape approaching. He thought it might be a bat or something, but the shape turned out to be a bird. The animal flew alongside him and pecked not so gently his fingers!

Draco was outraged with the eagle or gyrfalcon or whatever, until he observed carefully the animal's unruly head feathers, and his intense green eyes.

Those green eyes were a giveaway, but what convinced Draco was the unruly mop of feathers. He shouted with glee, "Potter! Nice Animagus form! Who would expect you to turn into such a bulky roadrunner?" Draco was doing one of the things he did best: needle Harry. He liked it very much; he even enjoyed being needled back by Harry.

What he had not expected was for an enraged eagle to jump and perch in his broom, while flying, and start pecking energetically his fingers until they bled. Draco took out his wand, careful not to lose the grip on his broomstick, and cast Healing charms on his fingers.

Draco dealt with the irate bird saying, "I bet you I can beat you as an Eagle. What do you say we play Quidditch one on one?"

The eagle looked at him confusedly, and Draco groaned, "You can catch the Snitch with your mouth, Harry. You have done that before." Draco was tempted to be more sarcastic, but observing the eagle's mood and being 100 feet above the ground tended to make him cautious.

The boy and the eagle played a spirited game one on one and at the end, the eagle won.

They flew around Hogwarts, and Harry saw a regal eagle owl he knew very well. He decided to dive-bomb it! However, Harry's plans were derailed when Draco realized Harry was harassing his owl Osiris. He flew in his broom and the owl had the time to prepare for the arrival. Osiris wasn't surprised or afraid with his master there, and proceeded to fly to the Owlery, giving the eagle a glare.

They flew some more, and this time Draco was glaring at Harry and promising retribution if he harassed those poor owls again. The eagle meekly nodded, while crossing two of his claws.

Finally they got tired and returned to the ground, to the place where Harry's broom was. Harry transformed into his human self and saw Draco lying down. The blond beckoned him to his side and Harry went.

Draco asked softly, as he kneaded Harry's hair, "Do you know the tale of the Three Dragons?"

Harry replied, "No, I don't."

"It's a pureblood tale, and a favorite of my mother and sister. It tells the adventures of a Norwegian Ridgeback dragon. He was majestic, he had black scales, bronze horns, and the typical black ridges on his back. He felt really confined in his domains. He yearned to be free, he wanted to find someone to love in his draconian way. He traveled far away. He came in contact with another Ridgeback.

"They had great fun in the mountains of Norway. They mated, and soon they had dragon eggs to take care of.  
"But the eggs were stolen by enterprising wizards. They wanted to use them to make love elixirs, truth potions and cosmetic powder.

"The female dragon died of a broken heart. The male searched far and wide for the missing eggs, but found none. Eventually he returned to Norway.

"Most of the eggs were duly sold and used to create the much needed love elixirs.

"One of the eggs was inadvertently thrown out the door. It was discovered by a warm-hearted man who provided shelter and heat for the egg. Eventually it hatched and the dragon came out.

"It was a beautiful baby dragon, with the distinct shape of the Ridgeback.  
"After he grew up, he moved out of his caretaker's abode, as his flame could burn the place down very quickly. He learned to hunt, he traveled far and wide, and at long last, he met his father in northern Norway.

"The dragons were united at last, and they had many adventures through the years.

"When the older dragon lay dying, a sympathetic wizard showed up. The wizard used powerful magic to transform the dragon into a constellation, Draco, which would point to true North and look out for dragonkind.

"Unfortunately, or perhaps by design, the wizard made several mistakes and did not put Draco in the true North, so now that constellation watches for dragons and humans."

Draco whispered softly to an almost asleep Harry, "So you see, Harry, there is struggle and evil in the world, but if we persevere enough, and find the threads of love and trust, perhaps we'll make it through the storm."

Then Draco fell asleep too. Fortunately for the students, a house elf appeared, charged by Kreacher to take care of Harry. Observing the two boys, the elf smiled and transported them to Draco's room by elf Apparition.

Soon the boys were in their pajamas and still asleep.

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The next day, the gang were having breakfast at the Gryffindor table; while the majority of the Gryffindors nodded solemnly or looked away, a small minority fixed them with fierce scowls, among them Seamus Finnigan and Ronald Weasley.

Draco was trying to distract the scheming Gryffindor by asking about his relatives. Harry answered politely and informatively. He uttered no words of scorn towards his relatives and appeared to the entire world like an elder statesman discussing the needs of the world.

Draco wondered how long he could keep up this façade. It was tiring, very tiring, to keep up pretenses with the man he loved, inwardly praying for a solution to the cruel dilemma they faced.

Hermione was meditating along similar lines as she stared intently at her porridge. The manuscripts seemed to indicate that the non-living horcruxes could be destroyed by poisons or specific spells. The parchments were notably vague when it came to living horcruxes. Of course, one way to get rid of them would be by killing them, like Neville did with Nagini. But they didn't want to kill Harry, they wanted to save him!

Besides, Harry had been killed already, it wasn't fair! It wasn't fair that Harry had to suffer all the time, with his relatives, with the people at school and the Wizarding world, during the battle, and when Voldemort killed him!

Hermione paused, as she reviewed her mental statement, '_Voldemort killed him, therefore freeing him from his horcrux! That's great!'_

Hermione sank into despair again, as she realized that Voldemort had been alive when he killed Harry, but now, Dumbledore was dead, how in the nether hells was he going to kill Harry from beyond the grave? It was awful. Things looked to be hopeless.

Just then the doors of the Great Hall were flung open and Lucius Malfoy strode in. The elder Malfoy looked regal as always. He wore a dark blue robe, richly embroidered with silver snakes. Despite the Malfoy Mask, the man seemed preoccupied about something.

Lucius looked for Draco at the Hufflepuff, Slytherin and Ravenclaw tables. Not finding him there, he frowned. Finally he looked at the Gryffindor table and saw him. With a small moue of distaste, he motioned for the young Slytherin to meet him outside.

Draco duly followed and met Lucius just outside the Great Hall. Lucius said, "I need you to come to the Manor with me, Draco."

Draco asked worriedly, "Has something happened?"

Lucius answered somberly, "I'm afraid so. Miriam has disappeared."

The elder Malfoy promptly added, "Don't worry, the wards show there has been no breach from the outside or the inside. Clearly Miriam is still at the Manor."

Tapping his cane against the floor, Lucius continued, "That's where you are needed, Draco. Your mother and I realize you know the Manor better than everyone, including ourselves. We want you to search for Miriam. Will you come?"

"Of course I'll come, dad. Let me just find someone…" Draco entered the room and espied Robert Lehmke sitting close to the door; he whispered to him and told him to go outside.

The brunet obeyed and soon Draco told him, "Could you please alert Liz of the fact that I've had to leave for the Manor? My sister is lost and we'll look for her."

Robert assured him he would convey the message to his aunt and wished them luck.

Lucius and Draco left Hogwarts. Once outside they Apparated to the Manor. Lucius opened the door and entered the foyer to try and comfort a very worried Narcissa.

The blonde kept saying, "My child, my child, whatever will happen to her?"

Draco kissed his mother's cheek and asked her gently what she knew about Miriam's disappearance.

Narcissa explained that Miriam had taken to prowling the Manor or trying to roam at any rate. After Lucius explained to her that it could be dangerous - one never knew what could have accumulated through the years. Magical creatures could be hidden in some crannies, like doxies, or boggarts.

Miriam appeared to accept the explanation, and all was well, or so they thought.

This morning she hadn't appeared for breakfast, and they had looked frantically in her room, they searched that general area and found nothing. The wards were untouched, so that left the possibility that Miriam was in the Manor, hiding somewhere or unable to make her way to them.

Draco knew the layout of the general area where Miriam's room was. He had a firm opinion that he knew where Miriam was. He comforted his parents and walked to her room. He found the door ajar and some things were out of place, among them the Black Mirror.

Draco noticed a children's book. It was about dragons. It really seemed Miriam liked them. He smiled as he made his way out of the room and went upstairs, to a place he had forgotten, but he had found fascinating when he was younger.

For a small child the picture gallery found in this floor would be entrancing. He casually opened each door and peered inside. Finding nothing, he closed it and moved on.

In the third room, he found Miriam. She was on a piano bench, apparently asleep. There was a beautiful white and silver piano, free of dust and the passage of years. Draco remembered when he found this particular room. After perusing the contents, he'd tried to leave, but the door wouldn't budge. It wasn't until later that he realized that the room wanted you to play the piano. If you didn't play a melody, or at least try, the piano room would not let you out.

Miriam opened her eyes and said enthusiastically, "Conis! I knew you'd come soon!"

Draco replied warmly, "Yes. Miriam. It's me. Though I must say that mother and father are worried about not finding you!"

Miriam answered, "I came here, saw the piano and tried to leave, but I couldn't. Wait! How are we going to get out?"

Draco bade Miriam to sit in another chair while he sat at the bench, flexed his fingers and prepared to play. He knew the piano would be properly attuned, being magical.

He began playing a beautiful, haunting melody. To Draco, it reminded him of dew-covered green meadows, waking up after a long night and preparing to celebrate the day. Miriam felt as if she could really see the park, the blessed park where she went to escape the abuse.

The melody ended and Miriam sighed. She said, "That was beautiful, Conis! It's good that you don't play music as bad as you draw images!"

Draco nudged her and said, "Shut up, Mi! It was you who didn't know that to leave this room; you must try to play the piano. There are bad things in this Manor, as a result of hundred of years of wizards and witches living here. Promise me you will be careful, Miriam!" The child answered, "Ok, I promise, Conis, I do!"

After they made their way to the parlor and met the visibly relieved Lucius and Narcissa, Draco said goodbye to them before leaving for Hogwarts. He grabbed the care package his mother had hurriedly put together. So Draco returned to the school after Narcissa had stuffed him full of sweets.

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On Friday, Draco managed to speak to Ginny alone, without the bothersome presence of the Weasel or Harry.

They were walking to Greenhouse #3, and after Ginny said goodbye to Luna and Neville, they reached the greenhouse and entered. Ginny motioned for Draco to grab a bucket and heave it to the table. Draco looked at the bucketful of woodlice in disgust. He said, "What are these things for?"

Ginny replied nonchalantly, "A variety of plants use them either for protection or as a source of nourishment, Draco."

Draco made a face, "You are starting to sound like Longbottom, it is uncanny, and to tell the truth, a little nauseating."

Ginny laughed. Draco said with a mischievous twinkle, "I received a letter from Astoria, you know. She is doing well. She sends her regards."

Ginny blushed and said, "I hope she is all right. I hope things are not too boring, being home-schooled."

Draco talked at length about the Greengrass sisters, how he had watched Astoria grow up from a rambunctious child into a beautiful young woman. He mentioned how they always looked up for each other, how protective Daphne was of her little sister, and how Astoria protected those she loved.

He continued explaining why a marriage between Draco and Astoria would be welcome with open arms by the Malfoy and the Greengrass patriarchs. Looking at Ginny's stern visage, Draco hurriedly said, "But you know that my heart belongs to another, Ginny!

"Astoria would make a great mother, though; and so would you, I'm sure."

Ginny hesitated to answer Draco, finally she replied, "Yes, I'd love to be a mother."

Draco asked incisively, "Will you marry Potter?"

"I don't know, Draco. When we had the specter of the Marriage Law, I didn't want to be tied to him at all. The feeling remains, but is now tinged with wistfulness. I'd love to have his children, I just don't see us having much of a life together, you know? I'm not sure we would have much to talk about 20 years down the line.

"So I can't answer your question. I'm sorry because I can see how much you care for him, but this demands utmost honesty and I have entreated to answer you as best as I can."

Draco sighed as he crossed his arms behind his back. He looked beyond the Greenhouse's flimsy windows, to the Forbidden Forest. He said, "Hopefully there will be a time when all the questions are answered. It's only a matter of time."

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That Saturday the gang went to Hogsmeade. There were two high-strung witches, because Susan and Hannah were fighting. The cause of the fight was another difference of opinion, this one between Robert Lehmke and Terry Boot. Naturally Susan had taken Robert's side, and Hannah had charitably become Terry's champion.

Neither Susan nor Hannah had an idea of what the fight was about, they vaguely heard that it was all about science.

Terry and Robert had become close friends and they got along famously, except that they tended to fight like lions when they differed in scientific points.

They entered the Three Broomsticks and went to their usual table. Draco sat down between Harry and Hermione. As usual, Madam Rosmerta took their orders and completely ignored him, which was ok with him.

Draco offered to be the mediator of their dispute, but soon recognized the error of his ways.

Robert said, "Are you ready to accept the Magical influx line, Terry?"

Terry snorted and replied contemptuously, "Of course not, unless you decide to accept the existence of the Magical containment fields!"

Robert replied heatedly, "Never, over my dead body. I will never accept such trash!"

Terry replied enraged, "Trash, when the great Lissovsky and Bogal appear to embrace them!"

This went on for quite some time, and Draco was bored with the discussion but didn't dare interrupt their fight, or their combined wrath might fall on him.

Finally, Harry said judiciously, "You know, this happens a lot in politics. Difference of opinions between individuals, they sometimes use an Arbitration Committee. Perhaps you could write to your scientific mentors and ask them some questions, and then you would reach another consensus."

Terry beamed as he replied, "That's a very good idea, Harry. We'll do that and see what comes up!"

Hermione dipped her head and muttered to the black-haired Gryffindor, "Great work, Harry, I wasn't aware that you knew so much about science!"

Harry snorted as he replied, "Actually I don't know, Hermione. I wouldn't know a magical containment field if it hit me in the head and hexed me silly. But I know people and the way they perceive reality."

Then the literal light-bulb went on in Hermione's head and she got a good idea about how to deal with the pesky _hors crux._

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On Sunday, Justin visited his father's estate, _Fuenteovejuna._ After they were served tea and pastries by the butler, Jason and Justin engaged in friendly banter.

Jason said, "As you know, I am going to open a consultancy business with Lucius. We will offer counseling services to people fighting for their rights, both in Parliament and the Wizengamot. We are financially secure, so we can afford to take the thornier cases, the ones the normal firms disdain because they seem so problematic.

"Both Lucius and I would like to work together with our sons. I know your plans about entering Oxford, and Lucius has informed me about Draco going to Salamanca. Together the four of us, we could help society. We do not require an answer from you immediately, but we'd like to receive one when you have made up your minds. Whatever you decide, you are always my son and I'm proud of you!"

When Justin prepared to return to Hogwarts, a visibly disappointed Jason commented, "Aren't you going to call one of your horseless carriages? They are so comfortable and quiet, I'm sure they would get you there safely."

Justin unobtrusively rolled his eyes as he said, "Those horseless carriages you like so much are pulled by Thestrals, dad. I'm sure even the mighty Thestrals would find it bothersome to do such a trip. So I'm afraid I must Apparate to Hogwarts."

Jason asked, "Does it hurt as much as it did that time in London?"

Justin answered, "No, it usually doesn't. That was a special case of Side-Along Apparition, when I took you to Westminster. Because there were two of us, the conditions were harsher. Usually nothing bad happens, unless you lose your concentration while you Apparate, then you get splinched, parts of your body attached somewhere else. There's a ward in St. Mungo's – the Wizarding hospital – for such cases."

Justin asked, "Dad, where is mom?"

Jason drawled, "Antonia is with Narcissa. Narcissa was apprehensive about leaving Miriam alone after she disappeared like that. Antonia offered to visit her and keep her company."

Jason asked, "What about Daphne?"

Justin said a little nervously, "She is doing well. We have several classes together and she is very nice. I'm glad I got to know her."

Jason answered, "You know, Justin, we have still to meet with Daphne's parents, don't you think it is time that it happened?"

Justin drawled, "Sorry dad, I can't answer that, I have to go now. Bye!"

And Justin Apparated away.

tbc


	26. Chapter 26

**January 25th 1999  
Hogwarts**

After a truly grueling Monday spent reviewing older material to be ready for their final exams in a few months, the Hogwarts students were knackered.

When the Arithmancy class finished, an exhausted Draco was thinking about taking it easy, when a brown hurricane reached him. Hermione grabbed his hand and hauled him forcefully to the Library to research books. She intimated she was on to something that could help them.

When they got to the Library, Hermione promptly sent him to look for tomes having information related to 'magical containment fields.' Privately, Draco thought that it might not prove very useful, but the relentless Gryffindor would not change her mind.

When Draco was searching the aisles at the back of the Library, Ron approached Hermione. The redhead diffidently sat down beside her, he took out his Divination material and quills. He prepared to do his homework.

Hermione sought a way to get rid of Ron. She usually liked his company, but he'd become very clingy lately. Furthermore, she suspected him strongly of taking part in Harry's shenanigans, like the time Draco and she caught him spying them under the Invisibility Cloak.

The brunette turned her face to look at Ron and feigning nonchalance, causally batted her eyes as she said, "Oh, I forgot to replant my mandrake! It won't be ready for my presentation next week about better horticultural techniques! What can I do, Ron?"

Ron shuddered as he thought about his options. He could just walk away, and leave Hermione on a lurch, or he could help her with the damned mandrake and get good points in her eyes. Sighing, the redhead said, "I'll replant it for you, Hermione! Where is it?"

Hermione kissed his cheek as she said, "Oh, you are wonderful, Ron! It's on Greenhouse #3. Now I can devote myself fully to my homework."

Ron stood up and as he was getting ready to leave, Hermione opened her bag and took out dog-eared ear-muffs, which she gave to Ron, saying, "You'll have to wear them. This mandrake is especially loud and obnoxious. It has no control at all!"

When he looked and realized that the Weasel had gone, Draco came back to Hermione. He had an armful of dusty tomes. He put them in front of the brunette saying, "Anything else you command, oh bushy one!"

Hermione snorted and bade him sit down. She replied, "No, gelled one! By the way, do you still have your vial of the _Tempus celeritas_ potion we brewed early?"

Draco replied, "Yes, I have two vials. Are you planning on doing something with the time-speeding potion? Don't answer! I hope it's intricate enough to fool the old Headmaster."

Hermione grabbed one of the books Draco had courteously provided, called '_Magical Fields for dummies by Sesyeux Verts._' She quickly took out her parchment and her beloved sugar quill from her gargantuan bag and started taking notes.

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Two hours later, Ginny and Harry were talking in the Library. Ginny was growing increasingly irritated by Harry. It seemed Harry still wanted to marry her, but he was afraid of asking. He did not want to get rejected again. Moreover, he was behaving like an old patriarch of yore and demanded that she must care integrally for any future babies, forsaking her career! He expected to have a large family; he even had all their names planned!

Ginny felt increasingly like hexing him with the Bat-bogey Hex. She was reaching for her wand when she – or Harry – was saved by the bell in the form of a trembling Ron.  
Ginny quickly made her excuses and left the pair, inwardly raging.

Ron was still shuddering from his encounter with the mandrake. He could not believe something could be so annoying, even through the ear-muffs he still could discern the cries of the vegetable. He didn't know how Hermione managed to care for the thing. Probably all she had to do was show up and the mandrake would be rolling around for her! How typical!

Ron asked, "So the Marriage Law didn't work! Aren't you angry, like Dad and Percy are? They still resent the fact that the Muggles dared interrupt the proceedings."

Harry answered with twinkling eyes and a secretive smile, "All is not lost, Ron. With a decisive move, the game might be won after all. It's like a game of chess; it is not over until the King is lost. Maybe it's time for their King to suffer a crushing defeat."

Ron said, "I would challenge you to a game of chess, but it is not fun when I lose continually. I never knew you were such a great player, Harry!"

Harry's fingers lightly massaged his chin, as if unconsciously trying to comb his fingers through a beard that wasn't there. He answered jovially, "That is the beauty of living. Things always turn up in different combinations. What is one color today may be a different color tomorrow."

Then Ron asked, "Do you want me to follow Malfoy and Hermione around using the Invisibility Cloak?"  
Harry answered while he motioned angrily with his hand, "No, both of them are aware of the Cloak and know how to evade you. It's that damned Map of Draco's!"

Harry said musingly, "I wonder…" Then he abruptly stood up and left the room, Ron hastily following him.  
They made their way to the Room of Requirement, where Harry put strong privacy charms. The charms affected even Ron, so he wasn't able to hear what transpired.

Harry conjured his Patronus to call someone. When he had finished and before the Patronus could depart, he said thoughtfully, "Dad, you would be proud of me, I'm fighting Slytherins with guile." Then he took the Marauder's Map out of his robe, and prepared to find his lover and friend and snoop on them if he could.

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Draco and Hermione met in what they had playfully called the 'Hufflepuff den.' This room was the gang's den, located near Hufflepuff and refurbished by them. Draco and Hermione met Susan and Justin, whom they forcibly evicted.

The sputtering Head Boy and Head Girl were courteously told to 'stuff it' and to please give them 5 hours alone. Needless to say, the Hufflepuffs were angered and curious, not in vain were they tauntingly called 'the cloak and dagger brigade' by Hannah.

The blond and the brunette had discussed their plans for two hours, when Draco took out the Serpent's Map and glanced at it perfunctorily. Then he grabbed Hermione's hand and placed it on the Map. Hermione saw that beyond the door was an icon of a calm lion, and the name Harry Potter, _hors crux_.

Hermione bravely went to the door and opened it, to find Harry trying to unobtrusively hide an Extendable Ear. Hermione invited Harry in, while she prayed that the privacy wards had been strong enough to prevent him from hearing their conversation. She said, "Come on in, Harry! This is the Hufflepuff den. It is a place to relax and be yourself. What brings you here?"

Harry gazed intently at Hermione, but the brunette had her _Occlumency _shields up. He said, "I come here in search of relaxation, Mione. It was a coincidence finding you both here."  
Hermione grabbed two butterbeers and gave one to Harry. She said, "Now that you are here, you can help us with something. I say that the Snitch, as it flutters near the ground, makes the figure 8. Draco says it makes no figure at all. Want to help us find the truth?"

Intrigued, Harry nodded. Hermione turned and glared at Draco, warning him not to impede her plan. She took out a small silver snitch from her gargantuan bag and put it over the table. She said in a calm voice, "Watch it as it flutters, Harry! Try to see the pattern it makes in your mind! Concentrate on the silver snitch!"

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Susan and Justin, fuming because of the cavalier treatment they had received, duly came back at the allotted time. As they entered the Hufflepuff den, they could hear Hermione saying, "When you hear the words, '_Lemon drops'_ you will remember everything, Harry. Now you feel calm and content. I will count backwards from ten to one, and when I reach one, you will awake, feeling refreshed." Hermione duly counted, and when she got to one, a seemingly refreshed Harry woke up.

Harry went out of the room, after greeting Susan and Justin, looking calm and peaceful.  
The 'cloak and dagger brigade' wanted to know what was going on, but Draco and Hermione remained tight-lipped.

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In the Gryffindor tower, an increasingly irate Dean Thomas was talking to Seamus Finnigan.  
The black Gryffindor said, "Grow up, Seamus! What have you got against Hannah?"

The Irishman replied, "She consorts with the enemy, the traitorous Hufflepuffs welcome the snake in their midst!"  
Dean said, "He's not the enemy anymore. You continue living in the past and you let other people guide you. You act based on your lower instincts, just like you obeyed your mother's injunction against Harry in Third year. You always look to others for guidance, you don't look in yourself.

"The Hufflepuffs act according to their innermost tenets. They are faithful to their schoolmates. They aren't hung up on cliques, like you are. Sure, some Hufflepuffs like Zacharias Smith and Ernie MacMillan are just like you, Seamus; they react based on prejudice while shouting to the world how pure they are.

"Why don't you join the soccer team I am building? It promises to be interesting. If we can muster enough people to construct 4 teams, then we'll have matches against the neighboring villages. It's a great way to meet new people!"

Seamus answered resentfully, "And I suppose in your team you will have them!"  
Dean replied, "Of course, if they pass the selection process. I'm sure Hannah and Terry will, though I'm not sure about the others."

Seamus snorted and replied, "And I'm sure the snake himself will be on it, prancing around like the git he is!"  
Exasperated, Dean replied as he fingered his wand, "Give it a rest, Seam! Even your vaunted Harry supports him! Shouldn't that count for you?"

Seamus replied, "Harry is just using him! He has told me himself. It's all misdirection, or something like that."

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The next day, after breakfast, Draco grabbed Hermione's hand and said goodbye to their friends as they left for the Gardens. Finally they reached a majestic birch, and they sat down under its shadow. Draco took out the Map and looked for intruders. Finding none, he started.

"What was that all about yesterday, Granger? I recognized hypnosis techniques, and I hope your reasoning is right, because if it isn't, we just gave Dumbledore a daunting advantage."

Hermione replied, "If I'm right, and I know I am right." Here Hermione stared fixedly at Draco and continued, "Dumbledore' soul is joined to Harry at a conscious level. There are some parts of Harry he can't control, or he would have taken command long ago. I'm betting there is no connection between these parts and Dumbledore's sliver of soul."

"Therefore, when the time is right and the conditions propitious, Harry will know the whole truth. He will be in a position to do exactly what needs to be done. All we have to do is provide him with the right circumstances."  
Hermione continued, "Actually, something Harry said recently came to me and I researched the issue extensively. I believe I have found a solution, as we commented before Harry arrived."

Meanwhile, Dean and Hannah were walking hand in hand to the Lake. Hannah sensed that the usually playful Gryffindor was in a serious mood. She asked, "What's the matter, Dean?

The dark-skinned Gryffindor replied, "What are you doing after graduation, Hannah?"

The brunette replied jokingly, "That won't happen until next year, remember? Anyway, I might become a Healer like Susan." Grabbing his hand tightly, she asked, "What will you do, Dean?"

Dean replied, "I was thinking about joining a soccer team, but I haven't played it as intensively as those guys have done, and they are probably way better. I think I might go to art school and become a painter. I'm good at drawing. Some say, really good."

Hannah asked tentatively, "Have you made any drawings of me?"  
Dean answered timidly, "Yes, I have made a few. They are in my trunk in Gryffindor tower. I have one with me."

Dean took out a folded parchment from his robe. He unfolded it and passed it to Hannah.  
The petite Hufflepuff saw the drawing. It depicted Hannah looking wistfully out of the window at the frozen fields of a cold December morning in Malfoy Manor. The colors were tentative, as if applied with a breath, and she traced her features wonderingly with her fingers. Extreme care was shown in capturing that alluring essence of strength and vulnerability that was so uniquely hers.

She looked up to Dean and asked with shining eyes, "Can I keep it?"  
"Sure, Hannah." Then he kissed her, full of longing and passion.

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Susan was sitting at her desk in her Head Girl office, trying to juggle things just right for the upcoming Graduation ceremony in June. So far the only recalcitrant points were the boring wait for the scores of the final exams, and the seating arrangements for the ceremony itself.

Robert Lehmke was seated near her. He was perusing a letter and at the moment he was staring intently at Harvard's tuition fees. He said mournfully, "I don't think I can afford Harvard for more than a year, Susan. It's too costly. I'll have to move across the ocean, live in a new environment, study and get good grades, it's very daunting. Now add the tuition and it is not a pretty picture."

Susan asked, "How did you get into Harvard if you are a wizard?"

"I always was interested in the Muggle way of doing things. When I started coming here, I read every book I could find on Muggle science. Aunt Liz thankfully employed several tutors for me, and I was able to learn science more in depth. I kept this up during my Hogwarts years. Finally, I applied to Harvard, presented the exam and passed it.

"Still, the problem is the money or lack thereof."  
Susan said, "Silly Robert! You have performed wonders, and you worry about doing hard work? You are accustomed to that by now. I dare to say that if things were too easy for you, you would be bored.

"As for the money, I am sure Draco and Justin would be pleased to be of use."

When Robert made to protest, Susan gestured to let her continue, and she added, "Of course it would be a loan, with interest even. It would give you the freedom to pursue your goal, and later contribute to the whole."

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Ombudswoman Liz Lehmke was having tea with Headmistress Minerva McGonagall. The situation was tense, to say the least. It was so foreboding that several headmasters' portraits had pleaded invitations elsewhere and left precipitately, leaving empty frames behind.

Liz stared at McGonagall as she said, "If I may ask you, Headmistress, why is Headmaster Snape's portrait not available?"  
McGonagall replied, "Unfortunately, the portrait does not seem to work. The Headmaster is unresponsive."

Liz added, "Yet you've refused my help before.. You refuse to let me see it. I wonder what you fear, regarding this portrait.  
"Can it be that Severus remembers how he was driven out of Hogwarts by his treacherous Heads of Houses, including you, Minerva? Can it be that you just want to let sleeping dogs lie?

"At any rate it is unseemly that a Headmaster is denied his rights to participate in Hogwarts' life, even as a portrait.  
"Portraits counsel the living Headmistress. They also serve as inspiration to the students of certain Houses. They look at the proud portraits and think that, if they act correctly, some day they might end up there, too.

"I care about my nephew, Minerva. Robert has few role models as a Slytherin. Don't you think it is important for his education that he becomes aware that a Slytherin Headmaster served Hogwarts in the darkest moments, charting an unknown road to the future? That Severus helped enormously to Harry Potter's victory?"

McGonagall replied, "I can do nothing else, Liz. It's out of my hands, besides, as an ombudswoman, you should be more concerned about the plight of the living!"

Liz snorted as she replied in an enraged voice, "Of course I am concerned about the living. I want the Slytherin students to recognize that there are distinctions, that not everything is black or white. I also want them to perceive the wry, sarcastic wisdom of Severus Snape. I want them to grab the future and continue the past. Even though it was haunted by war, they have the unparalleled heroic figure of Severus Snape, whom no one acknowledges and whose actions saved us all.

"As for you, my dear Minerva, can it be that you don't want Severus around because you feel guilty for his death? After all, he was safe in Hogwarts, as safe as anyone could be, until you and your three pitiful rebels chased him out. He went to an unsafe place, where he fell to Nagini's bite. Who knows, he might be alive if he had been allowed to remain here.

"If you don't put Severus's portrait where it belongs within 48 hours, I will file a complaint against you and suggest that a Special Inquisitor be appointed to Hogwarts again. I wonder if any Umbridge would apply."

Liz got up and went out of the room, glaring at the row of empty frames signifying the cowardly headmasters of yore.

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After dinner, Draco received an Origami letter. It was very curious; it was bright green and had the shape of a snake. Intrigued, Draco opened it and read:

_Meet me in the 'Hufflepuff den' ten minutes from now._

_HG_

Wondering what Hermione wanted, Draco looked at the Gryffindor table. Hermione appeared to be in a heated discussion with Ron and Harry. Finally she was rescued by Ginny and Dean. Hermione appeared contrite as they left, but soon smirked when they were out of the Great Hall.

Draco made it to the room and tried to get another cola from Justin's box, but the wily Hufflepuff had learned from his mistakes and had magically sealed it.

Draco went to get a goblet of pumpkin juice and grabbed some chips that the curly-haired Hufflepuff left around. He didn't have to wait long, for Hermione appeared in less than five minutes.  
She went and sat on a chair across from Draco. She crossed her arms and asked softly, "Tell me what you know about magical fields, Draco!"

The blond replied, "It's not much. As you know, there is an electromagnetic field, a gravity field and so on. They are useful to explain the actions of electricity, the behavior of distant stars can be determined through their electromagnetic spectrum, so those fields can be known across light years."

"There is also a magical field. It surrounds every magical object or being. Apparently electrical fields can function when the number of magical objects is small. However, up a certain threshold, the magical field is more powerful and affects the electrical field, and therefore the electrical devices cannot operate." Then Draco huffed indignantly, "Which is why we couldn't see movies during the holiday!

"Anyway, Robert and Terry are fighting about the concept of magical containment fields. If the magical field could be contained within a certain space, then it would be possible to seal a room in a manor so it is impervious to magic and can hold all sorts of electrical devices. Wouldn't that be neat?"

Hermione said as she stole a chip from Draco's dish, "You appear to be knowledgeable about such things, why don't you discuss these things with Terry and Robert?"

Draco smiled self-deprecatingly and replied, "I do know a bit about such things, but I'm afraid Terry and Robert are way beyond me. When they start discussing the 13 physical dimensions and the 11 magical dimensions, I know I'm out of my league." He smirked and continued, "Things get too esoteric for me."

Hermione commented with a grave mien, "I'm afraid I also have some bad news, Draco. While perusing the books you got me, I was idly looking at the footnotes and then wanted to know who had read the book. I found that some books had been read by Harry. It would seem that Harry is thinking about the same things we are discussing."

tbc


	27. Chapter 27

**January 27th, 1999  
Hogwarts**

Ginny made her leisurely way to the Headmistress's office, after enjoying a relaxed lunch. She gave the password to the gargoyle on duty, she muttered dully, "'_Trews._' The door opened and she ascended the stairs.

A voice said from the other side of the closed doors, "Come in, Miss Weasley."

Mentally grumbling, Ginny wondered if they had a charm that let them know who had ascended the stairs. She opened the door and came in.

The office had changed since she had seen it last. Gone were Dumbledore's magical devices. There were few pieces of furniture around. The walls showed the magical pictures of previous headmasters, and at the end, it showed Severus Snape!

The stern Potions Master was looking at her disdainfully and he said, "What's the matter, Miss Weasley, cat got your tongue? Still as clueless as ever, I am sad to say."

Ginny sputtered and then turned to McGonagall to rant about Justin's supposed cavalier attitude towards his duties as Head Boy. McGonagall appeared interested and supportive and let her monologue go on. Eventually Ginny stopped, and looking at her watch, saw that she needed to get to the Library and finish the Herbology homework.

About half an hour after Ginny left, Harry Potter came in. This time McGonagall didn't call out his name. In fact, she was rather startled when the door opened and Harry's unruly mop of hair appeared. Snape was about to start his customary round of sarcastic commentary when Harry started speaking with McGonagall. The Gryffindor was self-possessed and demanding. Snape noticed his intense green eyes and realized that Lily's eyes had never twinkled so brightly. Harry cast a privacy charm and discussed with Minerva some things. Harry asked McGonagall to take control of the wards when Harry wanted her to and influenced them in the way he wanted to.

The talk was short and to the point. Then Harry got up and left, which was ok with a nervous Potions Master.

The next day, having breakfast at the Gryffindor table, Draco heard from Ginny about Severus's portrait and decided he needed to go to the lioness' den, to see his godfather. He duly got the password out of Ginny, after promising to finish her Herbology homework.

When he ascended the stairs and McGonagall bade him enter, she appeared to be in a bad mood. She curtly asked him what he wanted. When Draco casually mentioned that he wanted to talk with his godfather, McGonagall got very upset.

She threatened to throw him out the room. She mentioned that her office was not to be used to visit previous Headmasters, no matter how close they had been in life!

Draco smirked and then replied suavely, "I will be sure to mention that to Liz Lehmke the next time I visit her, which will be today, I think."

McGonagall snorted and looked even more enraged, but she knew when she had lost the battle. Grabbing some reports, she scowled at Draco, motioned for him to go to his godfather's portrait and left the office.

Draco approached the portrait. Severus Snape was painted in his workbench, laboring over a potion as he checked some notes and perused some books. He wore black robes, black trousers, white shirt and dragonhide boots. His hair fell freely on his face, and sometimes he moved his head aside, cursing to hell the awful painter who had forgotten to paint him a band to tie his hair with.

Draco nodded, and Severus nodded back. The former Head of Slytherin said, "Nice to see you did away with the bothersome hair, Draco. I hope you do not follow Lucius's steps and grow a full mane! Talking about the big bear, how are he and Narcissa doing?"

Draco answered, ""They're fine, Severus. They adopted a little girl and now I have a sister called Miriam."  
He continued, "They'll take good care of her. But I had one thing she will never have."

"What?"  
Draco replied, "You were my godfather, Severus."

Severus grumbled and said forcefully, although his eyes were surprisingly bright, "Enough with the maudlin nonsense! How fares the world?"

Draco did not answer for some time. He was entering into the magical meditation trance and when he got there, he cast a wandless privacy charm. He then looked at a seemingly surprised and proud Severus, and said, "I'm afraid the world is not doing as good as it should."

He continued, "While you have been away, we've been saddled with a Marriage Law, purportedly to end the blood feuds. Its real goal was to steal the Purebloods' estates."

Then Draco proceeded to inform Severus about his own suspicions concerning Harry being a _hors crux_ of Dumbledore's. The portrait of Severus listened with a somber mien.

When Draco reached the end of his lengthy exposition, Severus said, "So that is why his portrait is asleep most of the time! Probably his soul at that moment is stirring trouble within Potter. How I wondered why Albus made me kill him! He said he wanted to keep your soul pure, Draco, and therefore insured that I would listen to his comments with benevolent ears.

"He must've known how much that hurt me, and still he ordered me to kill him!

"I suspect that the only thing that could destroy a living horcrux would be if the caster used the Killing Curse. Dumbledore knew about the fact that Potter was Voldemort's horcrux, he knew this vital piece of information and chose to tell no one. Not even his Golden Boy, the one he preferred above all his other students, the one he allowed to get away with everything, not even Harry Potter knew this, he kept this important fact from Potter until the last minute!

"Albus knew how much I disliked the idea of using Potter as a tool, always chained to his duty and unaware of the bigger picture that included him! It was he who suggested I keep my distance from Potter and take the bad person role. I wonder if he did that because he knew my sympathetic views toward Harry.

"I wonder if he planned this from the start, from the moment he picked Harry up from the wreckage of Godric's Hollows or even before that."

Draco commented, "But if Dumbledore knew about horcruxes, why not create one for himself, if he wanted to live. Why sacrifice himself?"

Severus snorted as he replied, "There's a good reason for that, Draco. Albus would not want to subject his soul to the wrenching effects of a murder. He wanted his 'pure' soul to survive."

Severus face looked pale as his eyes were directed downward, to the potion he was working on. He said somberly, "But these are the rants of a dead man, and have no effect on reality. It is up to you to rectify this, Draco!"

Draco nodded and said, "I will do what I can to ensure Dumbledore's design does not continue and Harry is free. Hermione is working closely with me to achieve this."  
Severus scrunched up his nose and said, "A Gryffindor? You need the help of a Gryffindor?"

Draco replied guardedly, "Yes, a Gryffindor. She's very smart as you know. I've also worked closely together with Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. I think it is high time we leave the House prejudices behind, Severus."

Snape started to rant when Draco raised his hand, signaling he wanted to speak. Severus shut up and Draco continued. "I know the Gryffindors have had the run of the castle for many years, Severus. The Headmasters and Headmistresses did nothing to rein them in. That has changed, though. The redoubtable McGonagall has a thorn in her side, the ombudswoman Liz Lehmke. She has a fair view and punishes the persons who deserve it. If McGonagall tries to force you to do something, Severus, just threaten you will call Liz.

"Furthermore, now that you have finally woken up and taken your place among the Headmasters of Hogwarts, I think it is time to unveil the portrait commissioned by mother in Malfoy Manor. You'll be able to go from here to there and visit my parents and sister."

Severus nodded curtly and stared in space, deep in thought. Finally he said, "I noticed you didn't use your wand to cast the privacy charm, Draco."

Draco preened as he answered, "If you must know, Sev, I can do wandless magic. It was a chore to learn how to do it, especially with dad's very cryptic comments." Draco frowned as he remembered Lucius's puzzling answers. He got up and started to pace in front of the portrait. Then he continued.

"I've made some modifications to the Serpent's Map. I changed the icons. It no longer shows a person's blood ancestry, but rather their most unique magical feature.

"Of course, I can turn it back the way it was if you want it Sev."

Severus carefully stood up from the chair where he had been sitting. He swore he had a backache, even if he was only a portrait, after sitting in the same position for several days. He walked from one edge of the frame to the other as he stared at Draco with piercing eyes.

"You'll do nothing of the kind, Draconis! You have managed to learn to command the Serpent's Map, no easy feat.  
"The Map is yours now, to experiment with, to modify, and eventually to pass down to your sons or daughters."

Severus stopped pacing and looked at Draco full of pride that his dragon had come this far.

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In Malfoy Manor, Lucius was greeting Jason and Antonia. The Finch-Fletchleys had appeared promptly thanks to a portkey. Narcissa had given the elves the day off, and the surprised beings had promptly organized an expedition to visit their friends who worked in Salisbury homes.

The curly-haired blond was dressed in black trousers, a white button down shirt and a cardigan sweater. Antonia was dressed more stylishly in a soft yellow dress with purple highlights that would have made Susan and Hannah proud.

Narcissa informed them that they were going to eat pizza. She had contacted a restaurant in the nearby village and had sent an order with an owl. Jason and Antonia wondered privately how the owners of the pizzeria would cope with owls bearing messages.

Antonia looked approvingly at Narcissa's attire. The blond witch was dressed in sturdy beige trousers and a white frilly blouse; she wore an exquisite shawl to guard off the chill. Obviously Narcissa remembered her days as mother of a young child and had decided to dress in somewhat durable clothes.

Lucius was dressed conservatively in black trousers, black shoes, a light blue shirt and a coat. He looked at the watch nervously, wondering when the pizza would arrive.

At that moment Miriam walked in. The small girl was dressed all in grey. He approached her godparents and they kissed her forehead.

Eventually they heard the sound of a motorcycle, and a little later, there were knocks at the door.

Lucius opened the door and found a somewhat frightened teenager. The boy wore blue denims and a T-Shirt. The teenager wielded three pizzas in front of him as if they were shields keeping him from danger.

He thrust them at Lucius's hand and muttered the amount owed. Lucius took out the money, which he kept carefully separated from the Galleons and Knuts in other pockets.

Narcissa asked concernedly, "What is the matter, you look frightened of something." The blonde looked suspiciously at Lucius. Surely the elder Malfoy would have remembered to keep all the magical animals away so the Muggles would not get upset?

The boy answered, "I saw your beautiful horses up there. Only, they have wings!"  
Narcissa scowled ominously at Lucius as she cursed under her breath.

It was Antonia who saved the situation. She said, "Oh, those horses! We are preparing to take them to the Renaissance Fair in Stratford-upon-Avon. Do you think they look good enough to participate in the piece, _A midsummer night's dream_? It was a chore to make them look so realistic."

The boy visibly calmed down and answered, "Sure could have fooled me. They look great, like those horses that can fly, those pegus or pegi…"  
Jason drawled nonchalantly, "Pegasi. Yes, I know the ones you mean."

Lucius finally paid the teenager, making sure to give him a triple tip, to make up for the fright of encountering the pegasi he'd forgotten to keep away from the house.

After they had taken the pizzas to the kitchen, they each took some slices and started eating. Lucius served them pumpkin juice. Lucius started talking with Jason, as he carefully prodded Miriam to finish her slice and eat another one.

Lucius said, "As you know, you and Antonia will be Miriam's godparents, so I expect you to look after her if something happens to Narcissa and I."

Jason chuckled and replied, "I expect to spoil her rotten, but I know you are too much of a survivalist to leave here soon. Furthermore, you have a lot to do, to accomplish here to think about seeking new adventures elsewhere."

Lucius smirked at Jason, who smirked back. The blond Malfoy took out a Galleon coin that was colored white. He put it on Jason's hand and told him, "This is a portkey that will take you and whoever you are touching to St. Mungo's. To activate it just say _Portus_. I know we vanquished the Marriage Law, but I still think there is danger galore."

Meanwhile Narcissa was talking to Antonia. Narcissa mentioned how resilient Miriam was, how the damage done by the abuse still lingered, but with the help of her family and the counselor, she appeared to be recuperating, although it was a slow recovery.

The blonde Malfoy mentioned how scared she was when Miriam disappeared, how they had to bring Draco back to search for her. What infuriated her, though, was the fact that neither of them wanted to talk about where she'd been!

Narcissa intuited that they were in the infamous Music room, but when she tried to pin Miriam down, she told him to ask Conis. When she wanted information out of her son, he told her to ask Miriam. It was madness!

Narcissa confided that it had also been madness when Draco was growing up. The little dragon was wont to get into all sort of trouble, like the time when he and Pansy had left to explore the world, when they were eight years-old, and it was only the intervention of Blaise Zabini who alerted the grown-ups when they planned to stow away to Australia. In a tanker!

Antonia shared her stories about young Justin Finch-Fletchley, like the time he saw _LA Law_ and wanted to become a lawyer in California, so he went to Heathrow and was ready to take the next plane to the States until his father caught up with him. Thankfully one of his associates had seen the small curly-haired boy tugging his curls as he waited patiently for the people to notice and take him to golden California.

Of course, the blondes should have been aware that someone was listening keenly. Miriam took everything under advisement, though she didn't know many things: was Australia an island or a candy? She knew the information would come in handy when she wanted something out of her brother or his friend.

Then the blond women discussed their plans to track and prevent the abuse of Muggleborns. They wondered how they could keep track of all Muggleborns that were born in the United Kingdom.

At this point in time, Miriam got bored, and standing politely, said goodbye to her parents and their guests and went to her room. She wanted to explore, but she was mindful of the promise she had made to Conis and went straight to bed.

After the Finch-Fletchleys had ended their visit and returned to their estate, Narcissa chastised Lucius because he forgot to hide the pegasi.

Narcissa commented later, "It is nice to see how our family is going strong. I have you and the kids, you have our family. Draco and Miriam have each other. We are strong together."

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**January 29th, 1999  
Malfoy Manor**

During breakfast, Narcissa and Miriam kept exchanging sly glances and almost giggled. Lucius threw his serviette and said, "Narcissa, when will you let me drive?"

Narcissa replied calmly, "When you are experienced, Lucius! I don't want accidents."  
Lucius gritted his teeth and said, "And how will I get experience when you won't let me drive!"

An unexpected voice drawled, "Glad to see you are still the same vain peacock you used to be, Lucius!"

Lucius turned his head and saw that the portrait of Severus, which had been covered by a cloth, was now showing the Headmaster wearing comfortable robes, his long hair was tied in a ponytail, and Severus was smirking.

Lucius smiled and said, "Nice of you to join us, Sev! I want to introduce you to our daughter Miriam. Mi, this is my good friend and Conis's godfather, Severus Snape."  
Miriam bowed her head and murmured, "Hi!"

Severus said, "Another Malfoy to tutor in Potions. Maybe she will be a good student unlike her brother and father!"  
Narcissa mock-glared at Severus, she said "Do you like your location here? It is central and has good access to the Manor. Is your painting all right?"

Severus replied, "Yes, everything is ok here, Narcissa. Now the question I want answered is: Will you let Lucius drive?"

Narcissa sighed as she answered, "Only if he has experience."  
And the discussion went on.

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In Hogwarts, during breakfast at the Hufflepuff table, Robert and Terry were talking very agreeably, to the surprise of their friends. When Justin pointed this out to Draco, the blond replied, "It's thanks to Harry. His proposal of a mediator really got them to stop arguing and now they are trying to develop some ideas, they call it their 'conceptual framework.'"

Susan interrupted, "He has taken one of my little joys in life. To witness a Slytherin-Ravenclaw confrontation!"

Hannah piped up, "Yes, we were getting used to their fights. We even had a betting pool going on about when they would start hitting each other and who would win. Harry lost me some good money!"

Dean commented, "Unfortunately those two are unlike our Harry and Draco, they provide far less entertainment."  
Draco looked at the Gryffindor table, where Ginny, Hermione and Harry were eating, and noticed how absorbed Harry appeared as he looked at Hermione. He looked like Crookshanks before he pounced on unsuspecting mice.

Terry stopped speaking with Robert and fixed a stare at Draco, seated to his left. The Ravenclaw said, "I see many interesting things, Draco."

He continued, "Just because the intellectual realm interests me more, that does not mean I don't care about the physical world. You are my friend and also Pansy's best friend. I must warn you that things seem to head to a collision."

Draco asked, "How do you know, Terry?"

Terry replied, "Have you observed the planets lately?"  
Then he snorted and smirked gleefully, "Just kidding! This has nothing to do with the planets and everything to do with the way a certain person watches a witch, waiting to pounce like a tiger. This has everything to do with said person speaking to the headmistress and ordering certain things be done, things which were heard by a sympathetic house-elf and relayed to me.

"I tell you that you must be ready to face your crux any moment now, Draco."

At the Gryffindor Table, Hermione was bantering with Ron. The redhead kept intimating that he expected her to spend more of her time with him. Frankly, Hermione found Ron's constant demands for attention annoying.

She much preferred spending her time studying or researching the problems they faced. Ron's flirting interrupted her schedule, and she only put a kind face for him so he wouldn't get hurt. Now Ron was discussing with her the starting lineup of the English Quidditch team!

Hermione was so caught up in her indignation that she didn't notice Ron's coy look directed at Harry. Or the way Harry grabbed her chin and pulled her face up, making it so their stares met.

Hermione was surprised, and therefore she couldn't position correctly her mental bridge. Eventually her _Occlumency_ skills came to the fore, but she had wasted precious seconds mustering her strength, and during that interval of time, Harry's _Legilimency_ skills had prevailed.

Hermione excused herself and left the table precipitously.

Harry remained seated, with a thoughtful look on his face. Ginny grabbed his sleeve and pulled, trying to get his attention. She wanted to talk to him and get some agreement about their quasi-relationship, but Harry paid her no mind.

After one minute, Harry stood up and walked out of the Great Hall, leaving behind a bitter Ginny. The redhead thought that this behavior really encapsulated their relationship perfectly. She was desperately trying to get an agreement and Harry pushed her away while he did hero business. Quite a cold life to look up to through the years.

tbc


	28. Chapter 28

**January 29th, 1999  
Hogwarts**

That Friday, Hermione researched more about magical containment fields. It was incredibly hard to glean some information from the often cryptic phrases written in the books, but she tried. She remembered when she was talking with Harry, months ago, about the incident when he lost his life to Voldemort, woke up in King's Cross and had that conversation with Dumbledore. She snorted angrily at herself. All this time and no one had seen it!

When Harry was in that elusive plane of existence between life and death, he met his wonderful mentor, who told him all manners of interesting things. No one wondered how it was possible for Harry and Dumbledore to meet there. Why did Harry not meet with his parents or Sirius? Why did it have to be Dumbledore? Even then, he was Dumbledore's _hors crux._

But Dumbledore made a grave mistake. He didn't think Harry would tell his friends about the encounter, or if he did, they would all forget it, after all, they were flighty teenagers and could be counted upon to be irresponsible and silly. He didn't foresee that a Slytherin would sense the connection.

Probably Dumbledore's prejudiced views about teenagers informed his tenure as Hogwarts' Headmaster – and his concocting the Marriage Law. He must have felt that the enraged teenagers would succumb to the Law after grumbling a bit, and then would promptly forget the way they were treated – after all, that was how Harry reacted.

A bit of heartache was not too much to pay for the perfect world, where there would be no blood divide, according to Dumbledore's rose-tinted glasses.

Hermione returned to her research, more determined than ever to put an end to Dumbledore's machinations from beyond the grave. She took a book titled, "_Magical containment through the centuries by Blanco Abejon_."

Hermione started to read. She learned that magical containment fields could also be created inside important wards, like those of the Wizengamot, to prevent magic from interfering in political discourse.

Hermione closed the book and checked it out with Madam Pince. Then she put the book in her bag and prepared to search for Draco. As she was nearing the point where she would take the stairs one level down to the Hufflepuff den, she noticed a flash of red she knew so well and saw Harry and Ron, hurriedly making their way to meet someone.

She saw them reach the door to McGonagall's office. Ostensibly Harry knew the password, because after a little while the door opened and the two students went in.

Hermione had a sudden hunch. With her heart in her throat, she opened her bag with trembling hands and took out the book about magical wards. She checked who had taken it out before and found the name: Harry Potter.

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When Harry insisted on talking alone with McGonagall, Ron left the room. However, he was not the brother of the Weasley Twins for nothing. He took out his Extendable Ears and used them to hear what Harry and McGonagall discussed.

When they finished talking, Ron was completely floored. He had willingly participated in the Marriage Law scheme because he wanted to chastise the uppity Purebloods. He had laughed at Malfoy marrying Lavender. He had trusted Harry completely, believing that Harry would never lead him astray.

But what he had just heard was beyond the pale. It changed the way he saw Harry. If Ron was right, they were headed right to a big confrontation, and they would all lose. He could not allow that to happen. He owed it to Hermione, Ginny and whatever remained of Harry.

The thing was, Ron had privileged information that could prove crucial to insure everyone's safety, but he could not act on it because he didn't know where to start, what to do. With a sinking heart, Ron prepared to do his duty, like a Gryffindor.

He conjured his Jack Russell terrier Patronus and prepared a message to the person he knew was ready for a counteroffensive and had the means and power to carry it out. Ron sent the message to Draco Malfoy.

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Hermione looked for Draco, but couldn't find him at all. He was neither in the Library nor in the Great Hall, and the Room of Requirement was empty. Where could the elusive Malfoy be?

Hermione decided to look for him in the Hufflepuff den. She found the gang there. Susan and Hannah were engaged in a heated discussion with Justin. Robert and Terry appeared to be discussing the merits of a scientific philosophy – or a girl. With a bored face, Daphne followed their discussion tiredly.

Ginny was glaring unobtrusively at Justin as she finished her Potions homework. Dean was assiduously reading what appeared to be a book about soccer matches through the years.

Draco was reading some books dealing with magical containment fields. Hermione nodded in greeting to the gang and sat down beside Draco.

Hermione said worriedly, "I have important news. I've found that magical containment fields could be cast inside wards, nullifying any attempt to perform magic in such places like the Wizengamot, or Hogwarts. I looked up who had read the book and Harry's name came up." Hermione bit her lower lip as she said, "I think the confrontation we have been hoping for and dreading is at hand."

Right then a grey terrier Patronus appeared and stopped in front of Draco. The message sent was, "I need your help, Malfoy. Harry is out of control and conspires with McGonagall to put some wards upon Hogwarts, to take away our magic. Several Aurors with guns will then swarm into Hogwarts and capture you. Harry wants you in some prison so the Purebloods' cause is ruined in front of the public. I followed Harry, but no more. He is acting as if he's possessed, and I want the rest of the students to be safe."

Draco took out the Serpent's Map from under other parchments. He put his hands on it and waited for it to activate but nothing happened. A nervous blond started shaking the parchment, trying to make it show the school so he could locate Harry, but still nothing came up.

Hermione grabbed his hand and whispered, "I know what is going on. The containment field has been activated and at the moment no magic can be performed in Hogwarts." Hermione grabbed both of Draco's hands with hers and whispered, "My research indicates that wandless magic still works as it depends more on magical meditation, so our plan is still on, Draco!"

The blond had an inkling that the Black Mirror may function still, because it did not depend so much on ambient magic as on the presence of the other Mirror. But he realized that Miriam would undoubtedly answer his call. He would have to deal with his sister, and spend precious minutes trying to get her to call Lucius. He needed to find a faster way.

Of course, if the Black Mirror functioned, the magical portraits would still work, too. The portraits depended on intricate magical dimensions to move through physical space. But he just couldn't leave here and search for Severus in the midst of the final confrontation.

Draco opened the door and stepped out of the den. He went to the wider corridor and noticed a scrawny figure passing by. Draco mentally shouted with glee, of course, a Slytherin could help him!

He called a greeting to Elias Flint. The young Slytherin, when he heard his name called, turned and beheld Draco. He said, "How are you, Draco? Things going fine?"

Draco smirked half-heartedly and said, "I need a favor of you, Elias. I need you to go to the Headmistress's office and ask to speak to Snape about a potion, make something up so McGonagall does not suspect."

"I need you to relay a message to Severus. Tell him that Hogwarts is magically interdicted; no magic can be performed here. We need the help and succor of my father. Tell him I would go speak with him personally, but I have bearish thoughts."

"Got that?"  
"Yes, Draco."

"Now go, before the others notice their powers are gone and stampede McGonagall's office!"

The young Slytherin left immediately, heeding Draco's advice. He had some trouble reaching the Headmistress's office, because the magical stairs no longer worked. Fortunately for him, they were still connected to the right floors; unfortunately, he had to climb them without any assistance from the stairs themselves, so it was tiring.

Elias made it to the door where the gargoyle usually was. The statue was motionless, but the door was ajar, so Elias was able to sneak in, climb the stairs and enter the room.

McGonagall was startled and jumped when Elias showed up. She said, "What are you doing here, Mr. Flint? Is this another plot of yours?"

Elias answered calmly, "I need to speak to Snape. I have trouble understanding how the _Felix felicis_ potion works. I need his explanations. Slughorn does not want to assist me."

"Impossible, Mr. Flint! Of all the nerve…"  
Flint smirked to himself as he replied calmly, "Then I will have to inform the ombudswoman of your less than stellar support of a student under your care."

McGonagall was forced to cave in, grumbling about slimy Slytherins while she left the office to look for her _good_ students.

Elias approached the portrait of Severus Snape. The former Headmaster and Head of Slytherin observed the student curiously. He was one of the younger Slytherins and one he had hopes for. Severus nodded.

Elias nodded back and proceeded to tell Draco's message. He concluded with, "At the end he said he had… tiggerish thoughts, or maybe leonine recollections, or was it bearish thoughts? I don't remember, I only know it was a big animal."

Severus told him adieu and also advised him to barricade himself in Slytherin, if the need arose.

After receiving the disquieting news, Severus knew what Draco expected him to do, especially with that comment at the end. Really, he needed to teach the boy more Slytherin finesse, that remark was too Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw.

Scowling, Severus prepared to travel to his frame in Malfoy Manor. Once before, he had traveled through the Vanishing Cabinets and felt the sense of disorientation when you ceased being here and started being there. He'd found that the same sensation appeared when he traveled through frames.

He duly appeared in his frame at Malfoy Manor and found the parlor empty. He started bellowing, "Lucius, get your skinny ass right down this minute!" A startled elf dropped the containers he was carrying and went to get his master.

Presently Lucius appeared, together with Narcissa and what Severus took to be the parents of Justin Finch-Fletchley. That curly hair was pretty unique.

Severus said peremptorily, "The situation at Hogwarts is untenable. It has been put under some condition that interdicts magic. It appears that no magic may be used inside Hogwarts. Draco sent me word of this and expressed his bearish thoughts. Got that, Lucius?"

Lucius made to grab his cane and go out of the room. Narcissa held him and asked him worriedly, "What does that mean, Lucius?"  
The blond replied, "Draco wants me to go to Hogwarts and help him, using my Animagus form. Of course I will do it. You need to stay here with Jason and Antonia."

This time it was Jason who put his foot down. The curly-haired blond replied enraged, "So you want to leave me behind as you face a big problem, Luc? I know I am only a Muggle; you wizards seem to have the firm opinion that either a Muggle is a child that is completely helpless, or he is a dark being intent on destroying everything different. The truth lies in between, Lucius. I can take care of myself among wizards, maybe using some Muggle inventions."

Jason lowered his voice as he finished, "And I know you are not all powerful as a bear, Lucius. You have your Achilles' heel that needs to be taken into account."

Lucius replied, "I know you care about my safety, Jason. But I have seen wizards react with utmost hate and destruction in their souls – I have even been a part of them, which I deeply regret. I know their unrestricted power and the havoc it causes. I would not have you in it if I could avoid it." Here Lucius raised up his hand, forestalling Jason's argument. "But I also know how stubborn you are, so if you want to come, do so, just use your Muggle inventions and take care."

Lucius said hurried goodbyes to Narcissa. He said, "If I don't come back, take half the money and go to Europe, don't stay and sacrifice your life and the children lives' too. Say goodbye to Mi for me, will you?"

Jason bid goodbye to Antonia, promising to take care of Justin's welfare. Antonia turned away as he left, brushing the tears from her cheeks.  
Lucius kissed Narcissa as he led Jason outside, ready to go to the gates of Hogwarts. He waved goodbye to Severus and smirked one last time.

They used a portkey and were duly transported. The castle of Hogwarts looked impressive, expressing the endurance that had withstood the centuries. Twilight was here. There were shadows everywhere, the muted colors of the end of day permeated the atmosphere and lent everything a reflective, sad aura.

When they were about to touch the gates, Lucius transformed. He knew what he had to do; he had known it since receiving Draco's message. So Hogwarts was interdicted? That meant the person behind it, and that could be only Potter, would manipulate things so the Aurors would storm a defenseless enemy. The thing was, no one could do magic in Hogwarts, not even the Aurors. What to do?

They must have thought that they would prevail if they used sheer numbers. The problem for them would be when they faced an enraged Polar bear.

Lucius became such a bear. He roared as his paws made mincemeat of the front gates of Hogwarts and he pushed away the troubling doors.

Even though Jason had read up on bears and was aware of the transformation, it was a shock seeing your best friend transform into a Polar Bear weighing 1,300 lb, and having a length of 9 feet. This made him feel like one of those elves, Jason felt very small. He mused if his son Justin could also transform into an animal. What would he transform into? Maybe a Kodiak bear. He was interrupted out of his bearish thoughts by the soft sounds of Lucius's pads as he moved.

The polar bear had an elongated body, a longer skull and nose than normal bears.

Bear Lucius' legs were stocky and he had small ears and tail, of course the bear had striking grey eyes and completely white fur, except for the nose.

Jason noted that fortunately the temperature of the January night was around 10° C, which was ok for Lucius, because if the temperature was too hot he would overheat more rapidly. He knew that polar bears have an enormously sensitive sense of smell, so he hoped that Lucius would direct them to the point where their sons were probably fighting for their lives. Jason tentatively touched his jacket pocket, where he had something that could potentially save them.

Bear Malfoy entered Hogwarts, and smelling the air tentatively, reached a conclusion and with a lumbering gait, started climbing the stairs.

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When Elias left, hopefully bearing his message, Draco returned to the den and sat down next to an anxious Hermione. He asked the Gryffindor, "Do you have everything?"

Hermione replied, "Yes, I do, Draco. Will everything turn out ok?"  
"I hope so. We have worked hard to ensure it comes our way."

The next minutes passed uneventfully. Then the door was forcibly yanked open and Aurors started pouring in, at least ten Aurors entered. All of them were brandishing guns. At last, a smirking Seamus made his grand entrance, followed by a twinkling Harry.

Harry beamed at them, and one could almost believe it was really Harry except when the illusion was broken by the all-knowing, twinkling eyes or cruel semi-smirks.

Harry/Dumbledore finally said, "Isn't this a great thing I do, Hermione? I made sure that no magic could be done in Hogwarts and then I invited our true friends, the Aurors, to join us via the Vanishing Cabinets that my esteemed counterpart repaired! Is it not an act of great retribution?

"When the other side knows what has happened to their prince, they will capitulate and allow the Marriage Law to prevail, as it was meant to be. Their side will be shamed with all the things Malfoy has done, or rather, the things _I _say Malfoy has done. No more Blood wars, and if some Purebloods have to suffer, that goes with the territory. The game is mine, now. No one will dare revolt against me when the vaunted Draco Malfoy sits in Nurmengard Prison. Of course, '_it's for the greater good_,' as is thoughtfully written over the entrance."

Now Harry/Dumbledore directed his stare to the other members of the gang, and he said cordially. "Of course nothing will happen to you, Hermione, you will go on to marry Ron as planned, and as for the rest of you, all you have to do is stand aside and let me deal with this Dark wizard and you'll be free to go."

Harry/Dumbledore affably took out a bag of candy as he offered, "Lemon dr…  
"Hey, Hermione!"

Hermione had interrupted the self-congratulatory speech of Harry/Dumbledore launching herself at him. She slapped him thoroughly and then ducked to avoid an Auror hitting her in the face with a gun.

So the battle was joined. The gang remained true and fought like a bunch of Tasmanian Devils. But they were wary of the guns in the inexperienced hands of the Aurors, as well they should be, and the tide of the battle was turning inexorably to the side of Harry/Dumbledore.

Seamus was smirking and glorying in the defeat of Malfoy, which is why he paid no attention to a certain bushy-haired witch, who appeared to be surprisingly calm and collected in the middle of the storm.

Hermione entered a meditative trance and flawlessly performed wandless magic. She bound Seamus: he could neither move nor speak to alert Harry.  
Then there was a commotion at the door as the two Aurors who had been holding it open were seemingly yanked outside and disappeared after really frightful screams.

Three other Aurors went there to hold the fort, and two of them quickly disappeared, while the third one, a middle-aged woman, screamed, "A white demon is attacking us, Merlin save us!"  
Then she disappeared too.

The number of Aurors was quickly diminishing, which meant that the ones remaining in the room had fewer chances. Two of these went down after Justin brandished a chair and hit one of them in the head with it; he threw the other one on the wall and punched him, knocking him out. Dean Thomas kicked another one and jumped on him, knocking his head to the floor and leaving him unconscious.

Two other Aurors went to the doors, guns ready to shoot. A lonely Auror was staring intently at Susan and Hannah. The man smirked and raised his gun, directing it toward Draco's heart. Thanks to his movie experience, Draco knew that if he was hit on the chest with one of those things, life would be dim. But there was nothing he could do, at the moment, he was lifting himself from the floor where he'd kicked another Auror and then wandlessly cast an _Immobulus_ spell.

He was still processing all this when the Auror pulled the trigger and the gun went off, really loud and startling. But the bullet did not hit Draco.

Draco looked up and wondered where the bullet had gone, when he saw the reason and he paled. Hannah, his Hannah, had jumped in front of the bullet!  
He felt despair gnawing inside him. He could not let Hannah die! It wasn't meant to be!

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Jason wanted Bear Lucius to walk more rapidly; but after all, how fast can you move 1,300 lbs? So he contented himself to walk beside Bear Malfoy. The castle was eerily quiet and there were few sconces lighted, presumably the ones that did not depend on magic. The portraits looked on with worried eyes at the bear and the man slowly walking inside Hogwarts.

Even Peeves was diffident. The poltergeist, after seeing Lucius's bulk, obviously decided on discretion and left them to their own devices.

Eventually they arrived at a corridor where a door was held ajar by two men. The Polar bear pounced on them, he mauled them quickly and silently so they could not cause any more trouble. This mode of operation continued as the bear was seemingly intent on catching as many miscreants as he could, before mauling them and sending them cold to the floor. Even if they had guns, the men obviously were not too familiar with such weapons.

Jason marveled at the intelligence of the bear when he mentally smacked himself. '_Of course he is intelligent, he is Lucius after all. I need to look out for him.'_

The last two miscreants to come out the door had their guns ready. This time, they were not surprised and pointed their guns at the bear. Jason did not know about the capabilities of Animagi, but he knew that a gunshot could prove fatal, even to a Polar bear.

So he took out from his pocket his secret weapon, a tranquilizer gun. Jason swiftly shot the two would-be assailants and sent them to sleep for long hours.

Then Jason entered the room, while the Polar bear remained by the door. Both were shocked by what they saw.

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When Draco finally stood up and turned to help Hannah, he was struck with an _Immobulus_. Draco swore to himself: of course he should have remembered that Dumbledore could also cast wandless magic flawlessly. Surely this was contemplated in Dumbledore's plans and he was just toying with them before springing the big guns.

From his position on the floor, Draco saw that Hermione had also been struck. He mentally sneered: '_Prepare to meet your doom, Dumbledore!'_

Draco concentrated on snakes, '_serpientes,' 'Schlangen,' 'serpens,' 'serpents._' When he achieved the trance he cast _Serpensortia _wandlessly.

An adult black mamba appeared. He had a length of seven feet. He had grey brown skin; his eyes were obsidian, as black as deepest night. The mamba hissed and followed Draco's spoken order. He slithered close to Harry. A very surprised Harry/Dumbledore hissed to the black mamba, "_You cannot attack me, I am a true speaker. I order you to desist._"

The mamba paused, as if unsure what to do, when a new voice hissed, "_Do not listen to him! I am a speaker too. I brought you here and order you to bite him. You will obey me!"_

Harry/Dumbledore turned betrayed green eyes toward Draco. A non-twinkling Harry asked mournfully in parseltongue, "_How?"_

The black mamba having been given strong orders, he approached Harry rapidly. When he got to the striking position, the mamba flattened his neck, hissed very loudly and displayed his inky black mouth and fangs.

Finally the mamba struck like lightning and bit Harry in the neck.

Draco ordered the serpent, "_Stay here, and do not bite anyone else. We may have need of your venom to prepare more remedy."_

Then Draco tried to give an uplifting message to Harry to wish him well in his upcoming trials. Unfortunately he could not say '_I love you'_ in parseltongue, but perhaps he could come close.

As he stared at the green eyes he loved, Draco hissed, "_You are my nest, my succor in the coldest night lies by your side. After a grueling day under the relentless sun, your skin soothes me. You are the egg I came from, and the welcoming Earth that embraces us all. Together, side by side, we'll brave eternity."_

Then Harry sank into the enveloping darkness, and he knew no more.

tbc


	29. Chapter 29

Harry was standing in a luminous place. He had no idea what he was doing here. He felt empty spaces in his mind which he could not access. He did not remember some things that had happened lately.

Eventually the mists coalesced and King's Cross came into view. The sight of the old train station, instead of calming Harry, made him more nervous. He had a hunch that things were much worse than they seemed. He dimly remembered being behind the Marriage Law. How could he have done that? He remembered how he felt repulsed by the proposal at first, until another part of himself slyly pointed out that it would end the Supremacist wars for good.

He felt somewhat tired, as if he had waged an unknown war within himself for quite a long time.

He entered King's Cross station, and there, seated on a bench, was a figure he somehow expected to see again: Albus Dumbledore.

The former Headmaster wore a mauve robe with silver gems depicting stars. He also wore a pointed hat and had his beard tied up, as usual. He looked calm and collected as he looked at Harry with twinkling eyes. Harry noticed the pattern of the stars sewn in the Headmaster's robes and mentally rolled his eyes. The Draco constellation! What was Dumbledore trying to do? Being smugly superior while projecting bonhomie?

Dumbledore bade him sit down. Harry sat down as he wonderingly looked around. The weather was sunny and warm, there were some pigeons flying around. All in all, it looked like a wonderful place to be, but Harry had a certain hunch that this illusion would fade with time.

Albus was sipping tea. The aged headmaster got a cup out of somewhere and gave Harry some tea. He also offered a dish full of cookies, and finally said, "Do you want _Lemon Drops_, Harry?"

After Harry heard the words, _Lemon Drops_, everything began to move more slowly and eventually stopped. The headmaster was frozen in a grimace of disgust. Later it would be animated with movement and would be recognizable as his trademark kind smile. The pigeons stopped in mid-air and just hovered there, as if they were huge, gaudy ornaments hung up in the sky.

The noise pervading King's Cross, which had been like a murmur hovering over him, also vanished.

Slowly, the Hufflepuff den came into being. Dumbfounded, Harry observed as two shapes slowly but surely took form near him. They were the figure of his beloved best-friend, Hermione Granger, and his boyfriend, Draco Malfoy.

Draco started, "We have breasted time to reach you, Harry!"

Hermione interrupted, "There is no time for this, Draco. You have to tell him!"

Draco growled, "Then you tell him, Granger!"

Although they were looking in his general direction, it was obvious that they could not see him. Harry was irate, he wanted to knock their fat heads together so they would clean up their act and tell him what was going on!

Hermione started talking again, "What we have found is something awful, Harry. Tell me, have you never wondered about certain odd things? Like for example the fact that you deciphered the clue to get the snitch to open up, that Snape's Patronus reached you when you needed it the most. Have you ever wondered if there was a magnanimous hand hovering over us last year, protecting us from the worst and leading us to fruitful fields to explore?"

And Harry listened to Hermione, because she was using her strict no-nonsense, authoritative voice, the one she used when she devised a brilliant scheme to protect them in their endless quests in or outside Hogwarts.

Hermione continued, "The answer, Harry, is terrifying. The Universe does not care whether you live or die, but someone else really wants to protect you. It is Dumbledore, Harry.

"But he does not do that out of the goodness of his heart. He has his own dark agenda concerning you. To put it bluntly, Harry, you are his horcrux.

"He used his life that night in the Astronomy Tower to seal the deal. He performed the incantation wandlessly and made you his horcrux. It's why he directed the endgame so you would be powerless to interrupt, just standing there watching him get murdered. You would be distracted and would not ever know that you had been made his vessel.

"In all the books we studied, we all read about a horcrux made out of a murder. All those books, kindly provided by Dumbledore, did not have the information that a horcrux can be created out of love, respecting the exchange: a life for a life. The caster can offer his own life and choose his vessel.

"Of course Dumbledore loves the world, maybe because he sees it as his plaything, to do with as he wants. The way he saw your life, manipulating it even before you were born.

"I suspect there might be some moments, perhaps some hours that you have no recollection of. That might be the moments when Dumbledore took charge, trying to prepare you to subsume your personality prior to his completely taking over your body.

"Draco suspects that one of the reasons you went out with him was because Dumbledore wanted it so. He was gay, he needed a Dark wizard, Pureblood, which he could then beat in the manner he beat Grindelwald. I tend to think that Dumbledore took what emotions he found and molded them to fulfill his schemes."

Draco looked up, and Harry could swear he was looking at him. The blond had bright eyes and looked to be about to cry. Harry wanted to grab Dumbledore and wring his skinny neck for the things he'd done!

Draco said, "I'm glad for our time together, Harry. If you decide for Ginny, that will hurt but I will respect your decision. Because I know it will be you making it."

Harry was so enraged that a neighboring bench was buckling, as if trying to raise itself.

Draco continued, "I know you must be angry, Potter, but I want your directed anger. Hermione and I have a plan, and we all have to stick to our schedules. So rage inwardly all you want, just keep a lid on it, ok?"

Harry looked surprised at Draco. Did he know him that well?

Draco looked smug as he continued, "Face it, Potter. No one in the world knows you better than I do. The Weasel has no idea of your predicament, and Hermione was ignorant until I asked for her help. They all thought you were being so noble and patient and kind because you are like a god."

Draco snorted and said disdainfully, "Fools! You are a flawed human being, but that is exactly what makes you so special. You are a speccy git who one moment curses a guy with a Dark Arts spell and almost kills him. Months later, you are the man who saves that same guy, riding out the _Fiendfyre_, putting your life on the line for that person.

"Together with your friends, you curse and beat a guy. Nothing like a Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw ambush upon some obnoxious git, right? Still, at the end of the war you save the same guy from a Death Eater, although a bit later you turn your head aside as the Weasel beats the poor bloke, again.

"I was ecstatic when you and Hermione testified for us in front of the Wizengamot. It was a pleasure to become your friend, and later your lover. Still, I observed how god-like you appeared and I shuddered inside. Something did not feel right.

"This Harry looked too calm and collected, behaved too political and had no noticeable flaws. My Harry can sometimes be obnoxious, irate, or inconsiderate, still he is invariably a courteous fellow.

"He touches the mundane as much as he does the sublime. My Harry makes me realize that there is a chance that I, too, can be a hero someday."

Harry was crying, and Draco also seemed to wipe something off his cheeks. After Hermione coughed and looked pointedly at her watch, Draco continued.

"I need your directed anger, Harry. Knowing you, no doubt you think ranting and dropping some things on the Headmaster's head will make him change his mind. Trust me; it won't be that way. Dumbledore will probably chuckle and say something to the effect that this is all for the greater good. He's never cared about your well-being. He's always sought to make you his weapon and he appears to be poised to do just that, from beyond the grave. Dumbledore cannot be swayed, and probably you will make him aware that you know his plans.

"Harry, we need a Slytherin approach. I think Hermione can best explain this next part."

Hermione huffed as she started speaking, "There was a unique event that happened just before the Final Battle. It was a day full of magic and sorrow, so it is no wonder that it escaped our notice, though I think I should have made the connections long ago.

"On that day, Harry, you let yourself get killed to finish Voldemort's horcrux. It is interesting that everybody thought you would die, you, your parents, Sirius and Remus. I wonder if Dumbledore thought so too, or even then he had the trump card in his hand?

"Voldemort duly hit you with _Avada Kedavra._ And you almost died. Almost.

"Later you would tell us you appeared to be in King's Cross and there met the headmaster Dumbledore. Yet I still failed to see the obvious connection and perform the needed research.

"You created a thought Universe. One might wonder if it is a pocket Universe to ours or if it stands on its own." Draco's cough was heard as he pointed at his watch. Hermione frowned and continued.

"This thought Universe must obey its own rules, Harry. It may partake of the Muggle or Magical world a lot, but it has to obey causality.

"It's very interesting that you met Dumbledore there. I would have thought you would meet your father, mother, Remus or Sirius, who after all, had a great deal of influence on you, instead of your headmaster, dead for one year. That's the clue I missed.

"Because you share his soul, he cannot help but be called if you enter these pocket Universes. If they obey physical and magical rules, then it follows that you could be in danger there. Your soul and Dumbledore's sliver of soul will appear as distinct entities, a fact that can't be duplicated elsewhere. Unfortunately, to arrive at this thought Universe, this small reality, extreme conditions must prevail, like a near death experience. While you are there, Dumbledore must follow. You are two separate people, and can hurt each other."

Draco coughed and continued the narrative. Obviously he felt they were running out of time. He said briskly, "All the texts point out that the living horcrux must be killed by its caster if the horcrux is to be destroyed and release the bearer from its curse. That was how you got rid of Voldemort's. You must do the same for Dumbledore's.

"We had the urgent problem of how to do this: how to get you almost killed by a dead guy. I admit I saw no reasonable solution, until Hermione came up with this crazy plan, which, I have come to believe, is our only salvation.

"You must make Dumbledore so mad that he forgets his crazy plans for a minute and decides to kill you. In order to get you to this special plane of existence, we will create the needed conditions.

"If you are observing this, obviously the conditions have been met and you are hearing and seeing us while time appears to stand still. We have injected you with a version of '_Tempus celeritas,_' a potion used to accelerate perceptual time against the normal framework. This circumstance is hidden from Dumbledore.

"It is the only way we have devised to get rid of the horcrux. Time runs against us, because Dumbledore, in your guise, is obviously getting suspicious and will probably act soon.

"Now pay attention. Put the Elder wand on display; if you don't have it, Summon it or wish for it so that it appears. I believe the Elder wand only obeys your commands because of the fragment of Dumbledore's soul you carry. Don't worry, the Elder wand will be the downfall of its Master." Draco smirked gleefully, and strangely enough, Harry was calmed by this. Things could not be so bad if Draco smirked, right?

"While the sight of you ranting about things would leave Dumbledore unfazed, you can hit him where it hurts the most. His first big failure, his family." Here Draco proceeded to tell the relevant parts of Aberforth's conversations about his family and his famous brother.

When he finished explaining, Draco said, "Now you know the important parts, Harry.

"I wish we had another way, but it must come to this. You have to get killed again, hopefully for the last time, to get rid of the horcrux. I just could not leave you alone, foundering in the cold sea like this.

"Turn homeward and come back, Harry. I know the way may seem dark and foreboding at times, but no longer will you be shackled by contrary winds. Instead I will be your wind, I'll carry you aloft to the shore, until we reach the port of your heart's content. Who knows, we may even be able to touch the sky."

Harry noticed with a sinking feeling that the representations of Draco and Hermione were slowly fading away. Hermione approached and said, "You will remember all this when you hear the words _Lemon drops_."

"When I count back to one, you will wake up calm and refreshed."

Harry sighed as he realized that Hermione had used hypnosis on him. Really a gutsy move on her part, because she had no idea if Dumbledore would be privy to the same information, unless she researched first, of course.

Harry felt as alone as he'd ever felt in his life, until he remembered Hermione and Draco. They had gone to a lot of effort to give him a plan, a risky one, but still a scheme that promised some succor. Probably his friends were worried about him, and they wanted him back.

He had a lot to come back for, his friends, the school, Hermione, Ron, and Draco. The blond had been scathing, snobby, smart, and uplifting in the same conversation. Truly a challenge and one he was looking forward to explore.

Harry remembered the Elder wand. He had it in the holster, but he took it out and held it in the palm of his hand, hoping that Draco was right.

The representation of the Hufflepuff den disappeared. Slowly the pigeons started moving their wings and flying, their cooing could be heard again and the world – or its likeness in King's Cross – unfroze.

The headmaster smiled kindly at Harry as he said, "_Lemon Drops_, Harry?" Harry shook his head, and he mused that Draco was right. Harry could explode and swear as much as he wanted; Dumbledore would never listen to him, the way he hadn't listened when Harry mentioned that he didn't want to return to the Dursleys. The way he had left him alone during Fifth Year, thus ensuring that at the defining moment, Harry would be truly alone and he would have to take the decision that would lead to his godfather's death.

The way he hadn't provided any training to help him in his future confrontations with Voldemort, because Dumbledore was sure that Harry would die and thus the training would be wasted.

Harry wondered if the headmaster gloried in moving him around as his puppet, or it was an insidious plot to break his free will. Perhaps to turn him into the perfect horcrux, the one that does want to be turned into the other person because it would be such an honor!

Whatever. Harry knew that Dumbledore would not react to his pain and anger, so he would act like Draco suggested, like a Slytherin.

When he momentarily faltered, Harry fixed his stern gaze in the headmaster's robes, specifically in the star Alpha Draconis. He made it his personal Pole Star, the one that would always lead him right, the one he could use to set his compass by. He had a lot to fight for, a certain blond to come home to, and some ass to kick.

Harry said nonchalantly, "How does it feel to be a failure at such a young age, Albus?"

Dumbledore blinked and said, "What?"

Harry continued, "When your father asked you to watch your sister Ariana that fateful day, you left her alone and went to study elsewhere. The Muggle thugs found her and raped her. How does it feel to bear the burden of your sister losing her mind?"

Dumbledore coughed and visibly restrained himself.

Harry continued relentlessly, "I'm sure you will say it is for the greater good. But was it really worth it that you thoroughly neglected Ariana's welfare? Aberforth wanted to take care of her, but you forbade him. You did not allow your brother to take care of your sister? You are such a piece of work, Albus!"

Dumbledore was growing red in the face and his eyes twinkled, though not with supposed merriment.

Harry said, "Not to speak of the day when your sister Ariana killed your mother Kendra. Do tell me, Albus, do you speak with your mother in the Afterlife or is she as mad with you as she ought to be?"

Harry continued, "And that other day, you were in a duel with your lover, Grellert Grindelwald, when one of you casually killed Ariana. You don't even remember if you killed her. You did not charge him with murder or anything. In your signature move, you just let things go. It was not a surprise, therefore, when Aberforth broke your nose in her funeral and called you a 'Murdering whore,' was it, Albus?"

Dumbledore lost control at that point. All his vaunted calmness came because he dealt with other people's pain. He did not deal very well with his own, which was one of the reasons he and Aberforth did not socialize. He noticed his Elder wand resting on Harry's right hand and used a wandless accio to make the wand go to him.

Harry idly mused that Draco had been right. The Elder wand had always been Dumbledore's. Now the wand returned to its Master. Let's hope that Draco was right and it caused Dumbledore's downfall.

Once he had the wand in his hand, Dumbledore's rage was so all-consuming that it made him forget for a short while the existence of decade-old plans. He forgot his schemes and plots. He just wanted that brat to shut up his mouth forever.

So Dumbledore directed his Elder wand at Harry and shouted '_Avada Kedavra.'_ The curse promptly sought to envelope Harry's body. Just as the green light was about to surround him, Harry transformed into his Animagus form, the Eagle. He hoped that the abrupt transition would wreak havoc with the Killing Curse.

Then Dumbledore noticed that the pigeons were vanishing. Next the bench he was sitting on disappeared and Dumbledore was forced to stand up.

King's Cross slowly vanished around him. With a sinking feeling, he realized Harry's corpse had disappeared. His corpse, he groaned, what had he done?

The sky and the ground disappeared. Finally, Albus Dumbledore was the one thing left, he tried to scream, but no sound would be heard. Eventually he disappeared, too. There was nothing left of that mental representation of King's Cross.

tbc


	30. Chapter 30

**January 30th, 1999  
Hogwarts**

In the real world, Hermione was liberated from the binding spell when Harry collapsed. She concentrated and _accio'd_ wandlessly a syringe. She kneeled next to Harry and briefly mussed his untamed black hair as he injected him in the arm a liquid which contained the potion '_Tempus celeritas'_ modified to be injected safely, and antitoxin to the black mamba venom.

Hermione reminisced about the beginnings of their plan. They were going down a harsh, long road. They had to liberate Harry from the condition of being a horcrux, which could only be done when the caster 'killed' the horcrux-being. Dumbledore being dead, this was really hard to do. Draco toyed briefly with the idea of raising Dumbledore from the dead and force him to 'kill' Harry, but thankfully Hermione managed to distract him from that incredibly dumb idea of his.

Hermione could well picture a newly risen Dumbledore ordering Harry to attack them from behind, and they would be caught in the crossfire between two powerful wizards.

She thought long and hard and came to the insight that a thought universe had held Harry's essence after he was killed by Voldemort. The fact that he met Dumbledore there only confirmed her suspicions. That Universe would act according to physical or magical continuity. They only had to put Harry there, which unfortunately meant putting him in a position near death's door. She and Draco constructed the plan. The two students worked well together, their mental abilities complemented each other.

Draco suggested getting a black mamba to bite Harry. He cast _Serpensortia _wandlessly several times until he was sure he could call up a specific type of snake. Draco secured several venom samples from the snakes, which were used to obtain the antitoxin.

Hermione smiled and said, "Why have you told nobody about being a parselmouth, Draco?"

"Because it is a closely guarded secret of the Malfoys. Can you imagine how the people would respond when they knew we had that gift? Remember how they reacted to Harry in Second Year? It would be like that, only a thousand times worse.

"Further, if the Dark Twit had ever heard of it, we would have been killed. Because we threatened his supremacy, because his snake detested us.

"Believe me, it was agony listening to Voldemort's and Nagini's conversation as they killed that poor woman. I have never been closer to going off the deep end."

They encountered the nearly insurmountable obstacle of getting Harry to help them execute the plan, until Hermione remembered about hypnosis. She told Draco that she would put Harry in a trance and they would explain the situation to him and what he had to do to get Dumbledore to 'kill' him.

So Hermione hypnotized Harry, and both she and the blond informed him of the dire circumstances they had to face. They gave him the means to ensure revenge, in the sense of destroying Dumbledore's horcrux and living to tell the tale. The memory was keyed so when Harry heard the words: _Lemon Drops_, he would remember all.

They worked under the immense pressure of knowing that time was fast running out. Every day, Dumbledore's mannerisms increased; it became clear that soon Dumbledore would control Harry completely and destroy whom he wanted.

They talked while they fashioned Byzantine plans. Hermione commented once, "I still don't see why Harry supported the Marriage Law. It is against everything that he believed in."

Draco answered, "You still don't get it, Mione. Harry was led to that position, inexorably. It wasn't something that he came up with in the middle of the night. It was Dumbledore's plan through and through. The headmaster ensured that Harry would follow his schemes by carefully planning his life. Leaving him to survive under his cruel relatives for 10 years without ever visiting or caring about how they treated him; testing him at Hogwarts year after year under grueling, inhuman conditions that would make you puke if you ever saw one of your beloved elves under them.

"To cap it off, Dumbledore buys the farm in front of Harry in a heroic manner. It is no wonder that Harry is so impressed by the beloved headmaster. It is no surprise that he follows his political mentor to the bitter end and beyond.

"We almost forget that Harry is Dumbledore's horcrux, they have a soul connection. Dumbledore can enter his innermost sanctuary and whisper thoughts in his mind in such a manner that Harry believes they are his. Harry has truly become Dumbledore's tool, through and through.

"I cannot let that be. I do this not for the hero. Though I revere his heroic actions, they are not my main motivations in this.

"I do this for the scrawny boy I met in First Year, the one I offered my hand in friendship and got turned down in return. There was fire in his eyes as he said those scorching words. We clashed many times through the years, and the fire remained. It slowly became one of the constants in my life.

"Later I wondered if things were different, maybe we could have been good friends. But real life reared its ugly head in the form of Voldemort's orders and we got caught up in the Maelstrom.

"Harry saved my life and I saved his. There were no buts or ifs about it; we just did what we could for each other. It was uncanny, almost a feeling like coming home. I knew what I wanted then, to become Harry's friend, to grab the chance that had evaded me for so long.

"When Harry and you helped us in the Wizengamot, it was great. Feeling your support felt like being in a spotlight, in a nice way. I can see why Weasel likes it so.

"Later the menacing feelings appeared, and I was confused and at a loss about what to do. Somehow I knew you would play an important role, so I told you important stuff.

"At the end, though, I have to handle. I cannot bear to see Harry's eyes lose their fire slowly as they twinkle ominously in the manner reminiscent of the old coot. I must save Harry for the years of rivalry, competition, and the short span of companionship and love. I must save him because he is the boy I used to know, the man I love. That boy, that man, demand nothing less."

Hermione's mind returned to the present when she heard a noise in the door. Jason Finch-Fletchley appeared, and he was followed by some gigantic white animal. Hermione sighed and wondered which beast had entered Hogwarts from the Forbidden Forest.

Jason motioned for Bear Lucius to stay back and he entered the room. Actually, Lucius was so big he could not enter the room.

His agile mind made the necessary assumptions and he said, "I see that this fellow over here and Hannah have been hurt. They should go to that magical hospital of yours, St. Mungo's." He took out the portkey Lucius had given him before and told them to go there.

Hermione touched Hannah's and Harry's body and prepared to use the portkey. Draco looked about to invite himself, but he remembered that they were carrying two injured people. The less people that went with them, the better. He would have to trust in Hermione to get them good care in St. Mungo's.

Hermione said _Portus,_ and the portkey took them to St. Mungo's.

Draco hissed to the black mamba, who was wiggling nervously in a corner of the room, "_Well, done, fellow snake. Now you will return from whence you came."_ Draco meditated briefly and cast wandlessly '_Zurückkehren!_' Because he had been practicing, he tended to get the snakes from the same region of the Congo, so this should pose no problem for the snake.

Draco noticed that his father appeared to be hyperventilating and he said, "We have to get you someplace cool soon, dad! I know, why don't we go to the Lake?"

The bear huffed and with a lumbering gait, made for the Lake. It seemed a good idea, he needed something cool, the heat was overbearing. If several students were startled when they saw a gigantic Polar bear head their way, they quickly turned away when they saw the bear's smirk and also the Malfoy Heir's sneer.

In the room, Justin turned excited eyes to his father and said, "Dad, do you have your cell phone?"

Jason answered, "Yes, I do. Care to let me know why you ask?"

Justin smiled as he said, "Someone cast a magical containment field over Hogwarts. Most things magical do not work anymore. That field needs to be taken off!"

"However, if there is no magic acting here, that means that you can use your cell phone to ask succor from your friends. Maybe ask for an investigation on the part of the Director of Public Prosecutions. I know that if we allow the Wizarding world to research this, they will do nothing, as is their wont. This way we will pressure them and some things will change."

Jason tugged on his curls as he remembered the malicious-looking characters that he and Bear Lucius had to fight. All of them had been used to harass a dozen nervous children! The miscreants had even been allowed weapons inside a school? Who would permit such mockery?

Jason took out his cell phone and began to make calls to his friends in the Commons, and he also made one to the DPP's office.

HHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHDHD

When they got to the Lake, Lucius jumped up immediately into the icy cold water, relief flooding through him. To be sure, Lucius felt that the containment field did not extend to the Lake, but he had such few opportunities to have some bearish fun, so he decided to grab this one with his paws.

The Polar bear started swimming across the Lake, disobeying Draco's injunctions to 'stay near.' He submerged and dived and even dined on a fish or two. Even the Giant Squid was puzzled by the disruption to the smooth flow of the Lake and went to investigate the phenomenon.

The giant eye of the Squid met the piercing grey eyes of the Polar bear. The Squid finally decided that he had urgent business elsewhere and took a rapid dive, leaving the puzzled bear alone.

Lucius finally decided to head for shore. He came up near where Draco was and he heaved himself from the water, judiciously managing to spread Draco liberally with freezing water. Draco protested vehemently, and Lucius wondered if he should just dunk him.

Then he remembered that what would be hospitable conditions for a Polar bear might make for a very uncomfortable environment for a human, and he refrained from throwing Draco into the water.

After a while, with a mournful sigh, Bear Lucius transformed into simple Lucius. Fortunately he was wearing his robes. He had no idea where robes went during the transformation, maybe some sort of higher magical dimension.

At any rate, Lucius made his way to a surprised Draco.

Together, they went back to the Hufflepuff den, and to talk things over with their friends. Justin and Jason looked like blond cats about to pounce on a bird or two.

Justin, using a sweet voice, suggested asking the Muggle government to retire McGonagall for putting them in such straits. He also suggested the government should look into how the Ministry managed Hogwarts.

Jason's and Lucius's eyes shined as they imagined the political repercussions.

That was a long night. Around 2:00 am, someone from the Ministry came up and tried to warn McGonagall, eventually another Ministry worker informed the Headmistress that she was arrested for her role during the strange attack on Hogwarts.

What the hapless Ministry worker succeeded in doing was lifting the magical containment field. Once the coast was clear, Draco said goodbye to Lucius and all his friends as he went out of the gates and Apparated into St. Mungo's.

He found Hermione in the second floor. He took out a book he'd managed to grab out of his bag and presented it to her, saying, "Wake up, sleepyhead! Brought you a book! How is everyone doing?"

Hermione motioned to the door next to her chair, saying, "Harry is stable. We managed to give him the antitoxin in time; we can only wait to see what happens. His symptoms are congruent to those people who have been bitten and given the antitoxin."

"Hannah is ok. She was shot on her shoulder and lost some blood. However, thanks to Susan Bones's skills, she will suffer no long term damage, just a faint scar that may vanish with time."

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**February 14th, 1999  
St. Mungo's**

Ginny looked worriedly at Harry's still form as she cautiously wrote to Astoria, informing her of the situation. She was so angry with her family! The only reason she stayed was because she wanted to be close to him, to inform him of the situation.

She knew that when Harry woke up he would be clearly angry, and she hoped she knew enough to get through that anger. Hermione and Draco had been very descriptive about the ordeal Harry had gone through, and Ginny could only begin to imagine the black-haired boy's feelings when he came back to life.

Harry looked to be in deep sleep. His tousled hair rested partly on his face, and partly on the pillow. Of course Harry had a special room, her overbearing family had insisted on this.

Ginny went back to writing the letter and thus missed Harry's nose scrunching up, and Harry moving his head. Finally Ginny saw when Harry moved his arms and she whispered nervously, "Harry?"

Harry opened his eyes, and he blinked owlishly at Ginny. Then the remembrances hit him like a train full of cement, and he kept quiet for a long moment, trying to digest it all.

He had been a horcrux, and he had confronted Dumbledore and won. Well, really he had been killed, but he had defied Dumbledore by dying, he had destroyed his horcrux and he was alive to tell the tale. Or was he?

Maybe he was trapped in a thought universe like King's Cross! Only this time with Ginny. Grimacing, Harry pinched himself and he had to admit that this appeared to be real.

Ginny brought a glass of water to Harry's lips and let him drink as much as he wanted. Harry thanked her and reclined in his bed.

Harry asked, "Where are Draco and Hermione?"

Ginny nervously twisted a button on her robe as she answered, "After what happened, Mr. Finch-Fletchley called the Muggle authorities and asked for their intervention. He made the point that the leadership of the school was doing foolish things, designed to cause chaos in the students, imperiling their safety. I must admit that sending Aurors armed with guns was a bit too much.

"Eventually, Government people investigated McGonagall's actions.

"The Government investigated all people connected to the case. You were declared free when evidence surfaced that you were manipulated. However, neither Ron nor Seamus were so lucky. They were charged with aiding and abetting.

"When they were taking Ron away, he turned to Malfoy and asked for his help.

"Draco said to Ron that he would help, both Mr. Finch-Fletchley and Mr. Malfoy would aid him too. The three men lobbied the Muggle and Magical authorities, and Draco testified about Ron's help during a crucial moment. The Government decided to drop Ron's charges and he was free again, after only three days.

"During this upheaval, the Minister of Magic, my father, had his hands full. My parents have taken charge of your needs. They screen all your visitors, they stop all mail you get, even if you're unconscious and can't read it anyway. Needless to say, despite Ron's comment, my parents continue to live in the past and they despise Draco as a Malfoy and as a Slytherin.

"My mother also dislikes Hermione because _she did not stand by her man_, as she puts it.

"They have kidnapped you, abusing the power of the Minister of Magic, and won't allow Draco or Hermione to visit. I've wanted to leave here many times, but I could not leave you alone without telling you the truth."

Harry was enraged. He was so angry! He had faced the ruthless Headmaster and escaped, only to fall into the grasp of these Weasels!

Then an embattled eagle owl appeared. Apparently he had been fighting against some kind of ward surrounding the room, but he had dutifully surpassed such obstacle. The owl offered his leg, not without glaring at Harry, and the raven-haired man took the message. He looked beseechingly at Ginny, who gave Osiris some treats she had kept in her robe.

Harry read:

_I hope you are all right. I hope you are finally free. The Mother Weasel would not stop crowing about how you are falling so hard for her daughter. I don't want to believe this is true, but I know that there is a good chance that freed from Dumbledore's grasp, you are pursuing this relationship._

_Therefore I have decided to go on a long trip, perhaps taking me years. I thought I could see you with her, but I can't. However, I will always want you to be free._

_I will wait for you in the Tower, on February 15th at 5:30 pm._

_Au toujurs  
Draco_

Harry got so angry with the Weasleys that he lost control of his magic. The furniture started first floating, then moving around in ever-widening circles. The windows shattered and the shards directed themselves to the two figures that had just a moment ago opened the door to the room: Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

The rain of potentially dangerous shards was stopped by Ginny's adroitly used _Protego _shield.

Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, "Harry, how good to see you about? What is going on?"

Harry narrowed his eyes, which shone brightly due to his fury, he said in a stentorian voice, "You ask me what's wrong, Mrs. Weasley? How about if I answer in one sentence, you are what is wrong!

"You always blamed other people for the failures of poor Ronald, and as a result, Ron never grew up. He's blamed the Slytherins, the Malfoys, the Death Eaters, and me for many of the bad things that have occurred to him.

"You continue this by placing all of Ron's blame on Draco's shoulders. Of course Malfoy is not responsible for Ron's wrongdoings, only a half-wit starving fool would think that. Or you, dear Mrs. Weasel.

"As for you, Arthur. I am most displeased by your behavior as a Minister, and I urge you to resign from that post, or the Wizengamot will find out where your true loyalties lie.

"I don't want to see you now. Please leave us."

Harry was tired, but his overworked Gryffindor (and Slytherin) mind was busy making plans. He said to Ginny, "I want to talk with Hermione, and also can you get me some Strengthening potions? Also, what day is today?"

Ginny replied, "Hermione is at Hogwarts, unfortunately." She preened as she continued, "She is not the daughter of the Minister of Magic as I am. I will contact her via coins and will get your Strengthening potions from the Healers here. Today is February 14th, the day of love."

A tired Harry replied, "I want to talk to a Healer and get discharged. I'll go to Grimmauld Place. At least I know the wards respond to me and haven't been compromised by nosy weasels, present company excluded."

Ginny smacked his arm as she replied, "Be thankful you are in bed or you would meet my Bat-bogey hex, Mister! I'll get the nurse to see about your discharge."

Harry was duly discharged and Ginny got the potions. What Harry could not see because he was planning mayhem was Ginny pocketing another potion.

They Apparated to Grimmauld Place and Harry gave his instructions to Kreacher. He found out what the potion was for when Ginny gave him a glass of butterbeer. Harry took it because he was still thirsty when he realized he had been tricked.

He said, "You too, Ginny?" Ginny replied nonchalantly, "You need time to relax, Harry. Time to be free of your worries just for a while. The Sleeping potion will give you a healthy sleep, take it.

The next morning Harry woke up, feeling refreshed. He opened the door of his room, intent on chastising Ginny, when a bundle of brown hair attacked him.

Hermione said, "How are you, Harry? Do you remember everything? Are you all right? Do you know what happened?"

Harry replied, "I'm ok, Hermione, at least I think so. Yes, I remember everything. I'm all right. I know I was acting like Dumbledore's horcrux and I had to be in a near-death situation to recreate what happened at King's Cross the last time I appeared there. I had to catch Dumbledore by surprise so he would lose his cool and kill me, or try to, anyway; therefore he would kill his horcrux in me and I would be free to be myself.

"I also know that while I was dealing with these issues, the Weasleys were orchestrating some kind of public campaign, trying to scare off my friends, trying to humiliate Draco for supposedly leaving Ron in a lurch – which is stupid because Draco actually got Ron free.

"It appears they succeeded only too well." Here Harry took out Draco's letter from his robe and gave it to Hermione. The witch read it intently and said, "You are going, all right?"

Harry tugged his unruly mop of hair as he replied bitingly, "Of course I'm going, dear Mione. Problem is, I don't know which Tower Draco means! For all I know it could be the Tower of Pisa, or the Tower of London, or some wizard establishment called the Tower. The possibilities are daunting. If ever I see Draco I'll whack him for this!"

Then Harry turned hopeful eyes at Hermione and said, "Unless you with your mighty intellect can decipher the riddle and get to the end of the labyrinth. Can you, Mione?"

Hermione sighed and replied, "I'm sorry, but I can't say I know what this mysterious Tower is."

Harry's face fell. Hermione continued, saying softly, "But I'll bet you this other person does know!"

tbc


	31. Chapter 31

**February 15th, 1999  
12 Grimmauld Place**

Harry directed a hopeful gaze at Hermione. The witch said, "I know who can tell you where that Tower is. Someone who knows Draco very well, indeed: Narcissa Malfoy."

Hermione offered Harry a coin and said, "Take this portkey; it will get you to the parlor of the Manor. Take it because time is running out for you. You need to be off very soon if you are in time to catch Draco."

Ginny approached Harry and gave him another Strengthening potion. Ten minutes later Harry clutched the portkey, muttered the word to activate it and was duly transported to the Manor, after feeling the usual hook in his navel.

Harry found a small girl sitting primly on a chair, reading what appeared to be children's stories, while munching on a cookie. The girl had beautiful brown hair and blue eyes. Harry was disturbed to notice her smirking – and trying unsuccessfully to hide it.

The girl said, "Hi, my name is Miriam." Harry offered his hand and smiled brightly, saying "Mine is Harry, Harry Potter. Nice to meet you, Miriam."

Miriam said, "I can't see why Conis thinks you are so interesting. You seem kind of regular-looking, like me."

Harry groaned and rubbed his face as he said, "Can you tell me where Narcissa Malfoy is? I need to speak with her urgently."

Miriam got up and said, "Wait here, I'll get her."

Narcissa appeared after four minutes. She took a look at Harry's worried face and asked gently, "What brings you here, Mr. Potter?"

Harry blushed and explained what had occurred since he had fallen into a coma. Mentioning briefly Mrs. Weasley controlling who could visit him, turning Draco down and hinting that he was with Ginny. Harry took out Draco's letter and gave her to read.

Then he asked, his face full of hope, "Can you tell me where that damned Tower is? I can't go gallivanting around the world if I don't know where to look!"

Harry's magic began to move some chairs in the parlor.

Narcissa was amused, very amused. These men were so similar! Outwardly, Harry was polite and courteous, but he was ready to demand the truth at a moment's notice. Draco was the same. He had once been obstreperous until life had taught him better, but he was still as relentless as Harry.

They would undoubtedly drive each other crazy; they would also drive other people crazy, together. It was clear to her that they belonged together, like the sea and the coastline, the wind and the clouds.

So Narcissa said, "Of course I know where it is! It's the _Eiffel_ _Tower._ We went there when he was 9 years old and he loved it! Begged us to return every year, eventually we went there in 1993. We couldn't go later due to Voldemort troubles."

Narcissa continued, "But he just couldn't put that in the letter. I guess he forgot that the person he was talking to had no idea he meant this Tower. I hate it when he does that! Drives me up the walls! The bad thing is that Miriam is starting to be like that; does it come in the family or is it some magical property of the Manor?"

Narcissa sighed as she muttered, "Foolish Draconis!" Then she said louder to Harry, "Wait for me, Harry, I will be right back."

Narcissa returned bearing a change of clothes and a bracelet with the Malfoy coat of arms. She said, "The bracelet is a portkey that will take you to the Eiffel Tower. The Tower is huge, so be sure to get near the upper Restaurant, where he might be expecting you. You'll need nice clothes to wear there, Harry. I brought you some of Draco's. There is a bathroom at the end of the corridor to the left, where you can change."

As Harry blushed and went to change, he could swear he saw the little girl sneer. It was disturbingly close to Draco's sneer. Reminded of the blond, he resolved to smack him upside the head for all the trouble he was causing him.

Harry changed into snug black linen trousers, a beige button down shirt, a nice sports coat with patches on the elbows, sturdy looking shoes, and a red and green tie.

Harry returned to the parlor and got ready to leave. He nodded to Miriam and Mrs. Malfoy. He said, "Thanks for everything, Mrs. Malfoy."

Narcissa said, "Just call me Narcissa. Now go and don't be late! My son is quite impatient. Go!"

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**February 15th, 1999  
Eiffel Tower, Paris**

Draco was waiting in the expected place. He wondered if Harry had read the letter or thrown it aside, as the malicious Mrs. Weasel had implied more than once.

He was happy that Harry was coming along, and enraged at the Mother weasel for keeping him from Harry, but the power wielded by her husband, the Minister of Magic Weasel, was formidable. He had stationed Aurors outside Harry's doors, prohibiting people from visiting Harry. Not even Hannah, Susan or Justin were able to get in. Heck, not even Hermione Granger could enter.

Only Ginny was allowed to attend the wounds of the Savior, the World's Hero. Draco didn't know what to think. He'd love to imagine that Harry still cared for him, deep inside. He could be comforted by that thought.

However, he knew that reality took no notice of his wishes. Harry had been under Dumbledore's control for some time. Dumbledore would not have found it difficult to influence his mind so he would fall for Draco if it fitted into his master plans 'for the greater good.'

Draco looked at his watch: 6:09 pm. The twilight was ending, a light drizzle had started to fall and the Parisian night looked enchanting and beautiful from this vantage point, but Draco had a heavy feeling in his heart.

He walked out of the restaurant and prepared to Apparate home. He concentrated and as he began to disapparate, he felt someone grabbing him from behind. He idly wondered whether it was a Death Eater or one on the side of Light who distracted him so.

He lost his concentration when he had begun to Apparate, and he and the mysterious assailant disappeared.

Draco felt something twist inside him; it was a physical and mental sensation. He remembered the admonitions of his Apparition teacher to never lose his concentration while Apparating.

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Harry was mad!

Nothing was going right for him. Mrs. Malfoy – Narcissa – had forgotten to tell him exactly where he should look for Draco.

He had tried to find the restaurant but to his chagrin found that it was accessible only via a private lift. After he tried to gain entrance and failed, miraculously an employee took a look at his face and found the scar. The obviously magically knowledgeable employee wanted to let him in.

An enraged Harry, however, took no notice as he transformed and flew to the restaurant. If the patrons found the presence of a Golden Eagle inside the Eiffel Tower bizarre, that was no concern of Harry's.

After he transformed into Harry and arrived to the restaurant, a waiter had asked about something, in French. Unfortunately the Dursleys had not cared about his education. If he knew how to fetch and clean, that was enough for them.

So precious minutes had to go by until the hapless waiter returned with a blond waitress who knew French and German. Still no help for an increasingly beleaguered Harry.

Finally a supervisor came in, and after Harry waved some money around – thoughtfully provided by Narcissa – he was let in the restaurant.

Harry checked and rechecked and couldn't see Draco's blond hair. Still more minutes passed. Harry was in despair when he noticed a blond head quickly leave the restaurant – from beyond a column that totally hid him from Harry's sight.

Harry rushed to get to Draco. When he saw the blond prepare to Apparate, he pounced. He knew his blond, and how stubborn he could be. He would go in this voyage and not communicate with Harry for months, just because of the Weasleys' damned theatrics!

So he jumped on Draco and then the Apparition went awry.

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Henri Töpfer was pondering life as he drove his taxi down Quai Branly. To be truthful, he missed sweet Alsace and often wondered why he had come to hectic Paris. They even drove as crazy as the English!

Töpfer was a good driver, though, as he proved when he swerved suddenly to the right side; he applied the brakes masterfully and avoided a dangerous collision with two men.

The men appeared to be in some sort of trouble, as Töpfer saw incredulous how one man began to smack himself in the head.

Eventually the men noticed him and the dark-haired one began to speak in English, only to be interrupted by the blond one, who said in flawless French, "Good night, sir! I and my – Siamese twin – got distracted by something and we didn't see you. We are sorry for the interruption and would you take us to St. Eduwiges' Hospital?"

After inquiring where it was, and learning that it was in Rue St. Honoré, Töpfer agreed to take them, although he had some doubts about them. Come on, a blond and brunet twins? If they were Siamese twins, how come only one spoke French? It was all very suspicious for the Alsatian but the pay promised to be good.

Harry muttered as they maneuvered to enter the taxi, "Quit groping me, Draco! It is really uncanny to be groped by your own hand while it is not under your control!"

Draco replied, "Then quit smacking me upside the head with my own hand! I believe the taxi driver is getting suspicious, quit it, Harry!"

Harry growled, "I'll quit when I want to, Draco!" Thwack, thwack,"You and your stupid tower. Do you think everyone always knows what you think?" Thwack, thwack, "You and your imagination, how could you believe I'd leave you for Ginny?"

To stop this onslaught, Draco did what he did best, an underhanded attack. Harry felt his own hand move and grab his cock. He interrupted his ranting and groaned.

Because they were splinched when Draco lost his concentration during apparition, they were joined at the shoulder, and Harry's left hand was controlled by Draco. In contrast, Draco's right hand was governed by Harry.

Draco could not continue his counterstrike under the vigilant eyes of the taxi driver. The conditions would have to be better.

Still, Harry calmed down, and it was under the Parisian drizzle, which caused the lights of the city to appear blurry and refracted in the windows of the taxi as they sped through the night, that they started to plan their way to the future.

After they got to St. Eduwiges' and paid the taxi driver, Harry and Draco were admitted to the ward built specifically for this case. The Healer in charge sneered malignantly at them, until Harry casually brushed his hair out of his forehead and the Healer saw his scar. Then he became all sweetness and joy.

Eventually, they spent the night at St. Eduwiges' and were duly released the next morning. A knackered Draco quickly located a hotel. Harry and he spent the day there, recovering from the ordeal of being splinched.

That night, they sought to join again, in a different way.

Harry admonished Draco as both students were lying in bed, "Did you really believe I would choose Ginny? I love her like a brother, but I really had no desire to marry her, the time spent searching for the horcruxes gave me the opportunity to realize I was living the role they all prepared for me, Dumbledore and the Order. I wanted to live life my own way, and that did not include Ginny. I went through the motions with her out of a sense of duty, to uphold the Marriage Law and avoid future wars. Of course I realize now these were all manipulations of Dumbledore.

"Did you pay any attention in our Sixth Year? I followed you to see if you got up to mischief, but I also wanted to be near you. To remain with you, even if we had a mortal fight or two along the way.

"You have always fascinated me, Draco, since the first moment I saw you in Madam Malkin's. We grew to be enemies, and through the long years, you kept me on my toes.

"Thanks to you, I had the chance to become a Seeker. Thanks to you, I discovered I was a parseltongue. You never treated me differently because I was the Boy Who Lived. You treated me with scorn because I treated you with scorn. I was always plain Harry to you.

"There is no way I would waste any chance to become your friend and more. Dumbledore's will was powerless against that, so he chose to ride the situation as it was and use our relationship to further his nefarious goals.

"There is no way in hell I would just discard you and choose Ginny after all we have gone through!"

Harry growled, "You have been a naughty boy, Draco, and you need to be punished!"

Then Harry cast several spells wandlessly. As a result, they both lost their clothes, and Draco was tied to the posts of the bed by silk ties. Draco raised his head and saw that the ties were red and gold. He muttered under his breath, "Of course."

Harry proceeded to kneel and put his head near Draco's midsection. He breathed on Draco's cock and licked the head once or twice. The blond urged Harry to continue, he tried to pump his cock into Harry's mouth, but the teasing Gryffindor put his hands over his six-pack and did not allow Draco to move. He took his time to go on.

Harry hissed, '_Is my mate a little hot? Perhaps he needs some cooling off.'_

Then Harry swallowed Draco's cock to the root. He was bobbing up and down on the Slytherin cock. When he sensed that Draco was about to come, the Gryffindor stopped.

Harry used a wandless spell and turned his back on Draco. He kneeled and raised up his behind so that Draco could see it and began to prepare himself first with one finger, then two and three. All the while Harry continued teasing Draco with comments like, '_Two fingers are not enough, I need something thicker, where could I find it?'_

Needless to say, Draco was hot and bothered by Harry's behavior. He needed some relief pronto.

Eventually, Harry turned around. He faced Draco again and he raised himself above Draco's cock, which he secured in place using another wandless spell. Finally Harry sat down and impaled himself on Draco's cock.

Harry set a leisurely pace riding the blond's cock as he hissed things like, '_Thick! This is a good thick one. Come home, baby.'_

Harry should have remembered one or two things about Draco. The blond got tired of the brunet's slow pace, designed to punish him, and decided to throw a wrench on Harry's plans. He concentrated and cast wandless spells to free himself from the meddlesome Gryffindor ties.

One moment, Harry was riding the blond, and the next, Harry was on his back and the blond was pounding mercilessly into him. Draco hissed, '_You are tight, nestmate, but not so tight that I can't ride you silly.'_

Draco kept hissing lewd comments in parseltongue which had Harry very hot. This combined with the pounding he was getting caused Harry to come far earlier than he had intended. Harry clenched his walls around Draco's cock, and the blond followed the brunet after a short interval.

Later, Draco got his wand and cleaned Harry and himself. They cuddled each other and fell asleep listening to the sound of the rain against the Parisian roofs.

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**February 17th, 1999  
Hogwarts**

Hermione was still a little sad that McGonagall was arrested, but even she had to admit that allowing armed Aurors to prowl Hogwarts was a highly dangerous thing to permit. A new provisional Headmistres had been selected by the Board of Governors: Pomona Sprout. The students seemed to react favorably to the news.

Except for a certain blond who was talking with Hannah at the Hufflepuff table. Draco looked disapprovingly at the Headmistress's chair as Hannah smacked his arm and said, "What's wrong now, Draco?"

Draco replied with dignity, "I don't like Sprout. It is not that she was the head of Hufflepuff at all. It's that she was part of a gang of four, the four heads who conspired to kill the lawful headmaster.

"One of his attackers is the headmistress now, the previous headmistress was another of the ambushers. When is Slytherin going to be treated fairly? I've almost made up my mind to work so Slytherins send their children abroad rather than subject them to this."

Hannah wished that Draco talked about this with Susan or Justin, who were more knowledgeable about it. Mentally rolling her sleeves, she started, "I understand your concern. I don't know when the Slytherins will be treated all right. Right now they labor under a heavy yoke; but so do the Hufflepuffs, you know we are not considered the brightest or bravest, so do the Ravenclaws, who are looked down as withdrawn intellectuals; something similar happens even to the Gryffindors, who are considered foolish and reckless.

"The problems we face are not one or two Houses, but rather the general concepts about all Houses. It is something we desperately need to change, to ensure that our children have a better environment than we did.

"As for Sprout's wrongdoings, maybe it is time to forgive her. She did wrong, and I don't think she will do that again. She thought that Snape was a Death Eater; it was a mistake many could have made. It was still a foolish and crazy stunt to pull, but it was a human thing to do. Forgive her and go on. You have so much to offer, so much to share. Don't let it be hampered down by something like this."

Draco appeared pensive as he answered, "You are right, Hannah. I will let bygones be bygones in this case, not only because I don't want to contradict the woman who put herself on harm's way for me, but also because it is the right thing to do."

Susan was talking to Robert. She was saying, "And I will be able to attend Salem's Medical School. I'll be able to finish my Healer studies while you study at Harvard."

Robert smiled and replied, "I also have good news. Terry will come to Boston. He will stay one year at a private college to catch up on selected areas he has missed. At the end of the year, he will present the admission test for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology."

Susan asked, "What is so important about having degrees from these universities? Aren't there other Magical schools?"

Robert replied, "These universities offer a great deal of expertise in teaching physical science. We as wizards tend to ignore the world until it is almost too late, and then we want to change it with a flick of a wand. The Muggles live the hard, unrewarding way. They have learned to observe things and their connotations and associations, really watch them. They deduce natural laws from that. They also construct towering cathedrals of thought. If only because of this I would study like them."

Justin and Daphne were engaged in a strenuous battle at the Slytherin table. They were discussing how they would name their children. Interested, Terry Boot was trapped in the verbal melee.

Daphne said, "Of course our children will be named after flowers, Justin. It's only fair! If I have to become Mrs. Finch-Fletchley, it's only fair that we pick something I like for our children's names."

Justin interrupted, "Flowers, what kinds of names would that be?"

Terry replied injudiciously, "You could name the baby Hyacinth, it is a nice name."

Daphne beamed as she replied, "That's a great name, Terry. Thanks! I knew having a Ravenclaw friend would be nice."

Justin narrowed his eyes at Terry as he fumed, "_Would be nice_! Indeed! What's wrong with picking names that start with a J? Daphne, we have been doing that for centuries!"

Daphne quickly said, "It gets boring, that is why! Naming a person using rules of antiquity, that is so very challenging - not!"

Again, Terry interrupted and said, "You could name him Julian."

Justin beamed and clapped, "That is a wonderful name, it starts with a J, it sounds Roman and also contemporary! In honor of that, would you be the godfather?"

Daphne glared at the boys as she said, "He's going to be the godfather of Hyacinth, Justin!"

The Head Boy and his girlfriend got into another discussion as Terry hurriedly made his way out of the Great Hall.

Dean and Harry were conversing at the Gryffindor table. The Gryffindors were worried about their friend in prison, Seamus. Harry wanted to go to the Ministry and plead on his behalf, but he was wondering what Draco would do.

Dean said, "He'll support you, Harry. If he doesn't, just hex him good!"

Harry replied, "Dean, that is uncalled for! If he doesn't react well then I'll talk to him later. Of course, if after countless talks he still remains adamantly against that, I may inadvertently hex him."

A regal barn owl approached the Hufflepuff table and landed next to Draco. The owl seemed offended by the blond's tardiness in taking out the parchment and playfully – or not so playfully – nicked him. Draco read the letter and paled.

Harry was worried by the strange reactions from the blond, and when Draco turned to look at him and motioned for him to go out, Harry duly followed.

They made their way to the Hufflepuff den and Draco announced, "You won't believe who that letter is from."

Harry smacked him upside the head as he said, "Out with it, Draco, enough drama!"

Draco huffed and replied, "The letter was from Blaise. Apparently he heard about our Parisian interlude. I'm thinking about hexing a certain individual named Terry Boot, who blabbed about affairs to his girlfriend Pansy Parkinson."

"Blaise was really mad that we didn't visit, after all, he finds life in Beauxbatons too boring. I'll invite him to the Manor during Easter break, Harry! Hopefully you will join us. You will get to meet my sister."

Harry said, "Is she a sweet little girl who is sharp and calls you Conis? She is starting to sound just like you, Draco."

Draco preened as he answered, "Yes, Miriam is great. You'll like her. She's faced adversity and now has a family to take care of her."

Harry scuffed his shoe and said diffidently, "Do you remember in Paris, how we planned to spend the next weekend in Hogsmeade and around the Lake? Well, I must do something else." Harry carefully measured the distance to the door and took out his Elder wand, as he continued, "I have to go and talk to Ministry officials so I can get Seamus's sentence reduced."

Draco said, "That's ok, Harry, I understand."

Harry was gobsmacked by this easy acceptance when he'd expected fierce rejection. Draco continued nonchalantly, "I understand that you have that urge, that you must help the people you care for. It is a basic part of your makeup, and I won't try to change you or talk you out of it. As I've mentioned, I want all of you, the good and the bad.

"No doubt we will fight over serious matters. No doubt we will face tough times. But I am confident that we can make it together.

"Now why don't you do something useful and summon some quills and parchments with your wand?"

Harry swished the Elder wand with verve, summoning the items, when nothing happened.

When Draco saw that, the blond smiled and said casually, "This confirms the theory I shared with you, that the Elder wand reacted to you because you had part of Dumbledore's soul in you. With Dumbledore gone, there is nothing of him in your soul and therefore the wand does not recognize you as its master."

Harry gave the Elder wand to Draco and said, "Then you use it, you were the wand's Master before. It should return to you."

Draco tried to summon some cushions, moving and swishing the wand energetically, and nothing happened.

Sighing, Draco commented, "Probably the wand would only recognize Dumbledore as its master. It does not profit anyone to have a wand that responds to a dead man. What do you propose to do with it, Harry? You'll have to get a new one in Diagon Alley soon."

Harry replied, "Let's hide it here, under the floor. After the centuries have gone and they unearth it, they will find a useless wand that belonged to a useless wizard."

tbc


	32. Chapter 32

**June 11th, 1999**

**Hogwarts**

On their Graduation Day, Draco sat with his family at the back of the garden. Lucius was dressed up to the nines in a resplendent wizard robe. The robe started uniformly black at the bottom, and then changed its color as it went up, finishing in light grey shoulders.

Draco wore a black robe which had the Draco constellation depicted in it, at the urging of Harry. He wore black linen trousers, black button down shirt, a Muggle watch, which was really a portkey to Grimmauld Place. He wore the Malfoy signet ring with pride. Miriam Malfoy was seated beside him. The little brunette girl was drawing in a parchment, as if to demonstrate to Conis who was better, even this day.

Draco smiled and watched his mother. Narcissa looked beautiful in a black dress. She wore her hair plaited, giving her a look reminiscent of Susan. Narcissa fidgeted and finally looked imperiously at Lucius.

Lucius took the hint and, grabbing Miriam's hand, he left. He waved goodbye and said, "See you inside, Draco, Narcissa."

Narcissa stood up and stared menacingly at Draco. She said, "Have I not been a good mother, Draco?

"When you were three, your accidental magic painted your father and me magenta! Your father could hardly go to the Wizengamot looking like that, and I could not attend important dinners. But I accepted that boys will be boys.

"When you were nine, you broke my grandmother's vase while you were flying your broom inside the Manor, Draco! Not to mention all the problems with the helly topters, those awful machines with the racketing noises. Granted, I hated grandmother's vase, but still it was an imposition to break it. But I took it in stride, like a good mother should.

"When I found you at the end of your Fifth year, transformed and bleeding on the floor of that train, I thought I would die. You were so sick, Draco! I had to order the elves to take you to St. Mungo's, because you would not have survived the portkey trip. To think that I was a breath away from not going to get you at King's Cross and remaining in the Manor! I struggled through your rehabilitation, through the endless demands of Voldemort. I drew up plans about how to revenge ourselves on the silly brats who caused this.

"But I refrained, Draco, because I didn't want to place more burdens on you than you already had. I kept my feelings to myself and gave you space.

"Now I need your help." Narcissa wrung her hands nervously as she continued, "As you know, Antonia and I are working together to protect the Muggleborn children from the abuse generated by people who can't accept magic. We desperately need to detect and pinpoint where the abuse is taking place.

"This is where you can come in handy. Lucius told me about the Situation Room, deep inside the Department of Mysteries. It shows every living wizard and witch in Great Britain.

"I know how the Serpent's Map operates, having worked at it for some years. I know it somehow distills the magic gradient until it shows certain characteristics of the persons represented therein.

"Lucius has proudly commented that you can program the Serpent's Map.

"Hear my plea then: I want you to develop a spell to show all Muggleborn, Half-blood and Pureblood children in the Situation Room, and a spell to show which ones are being abused."

Narcissa smiled proudly as she continued, "Of course we try to detect the abuse and sometimes succeed, but early succor would be better. Antonia and I will work on gaining access to the Room, and you work on casting the spells."

Narcissa smirked and then started walking back to Hogwarts.

Draco decided to stay, remembering good and bad moments spent there. He soon was jostled out of his reverie by a seemingly disgruntled Justin. The Head Boy said, "Dad and mom have disappeared, I can't find them! They'll miss the ceremony."

Draco said soothingly, "They're probably with my parents, working on how to make the world better. They will surely turn up in time.

"This reminds me, any news about the Lobato case?"

Justin replied, "The Quibbler reported that Patricia Helming, a Muggleborn Ravenclaw student who finished three years ago, wanted to marry Romulus Lobato, a werewolf registered with the Ministry. When the Ministry heard about the supposed betrothal, they forcibly took the couple apart. They arrested Romulus right before the full moon and brutally told Patricia she would never be free to marry him.

"To support this barbaric course of action the Wizengamot is contemplating tightening the restrictions on werewolves. Patricia is desolate and helpless. I wrote her, offering our services to insure she gets a fair treatment."

Draco replied forcefully, "We will help her, Justin! We will work for the oppressed, because we too can be oppressed, and the gits at the Ministry need to learn a thing or two about how to treat sentient beings!"

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When the time came for Justin to make a speech, Headmistress Sprout said, "This speech is customarily delivered by the Head Boy. However, Mr. Finch-Fletchley has kindly ceded his time so that Mr. Harry James Potter can give the closing speech this year in Hogwarts."

Everyone started clapping like crazy. Some people were laughing with joy, some were solemn. They all wanted to hear what Harry had to say. The Gryffindor looked toward his friends and saw them clapping still, the Gryffindors - among them Seamus, who had only spent 10 days in Azkaban. The Ravenclaws were in another aisle clapping too, as were the Hufflepuffs, led by the Head Boy and Girl, Justin Finch-Fletchley and Susan Bones.

The Slytherins sat in yet another aisle and joined the applause politely, but warmly. Draco looked proudly at Harry, and as their stares met, it was as if the world ceased to exist and became a reality unto itself, containing only them.

Elias Flint looked on from the benches. He was seated beside Antonia and Jason Finch-Fletchley. Narcissa and Miriam were seated nearby, as was Lucius, who watched over them like a Polar bear.

Harry leaned on the lectern, looking delectable in a designer black robe with green highlights, black cotton trousers, white button down shirt, and black dragonhide boots. He was wearing for the last time his Gryffindor tie. His hair was unruly as ever, and he had taken Hermione's advice and had his vision magically corrected, so he didn't wear glasses anymore – or 'antennae' he thought wryly, remembering a certain snake.

Harry hissed, "_Do I look good?"_

Someone hissed back, "_You look good enough to eat, nestmate. Now get to it!"_

Harry hissed in reply, "_I want to talk more!"_

The voice hissed irritably, _"People are beginning to wonder who you are hissing to, Potter! I don't want them to know my secret. If you don't start soon, you won't get any tonight, get that?"_

Harry sighed. He'd found one of the disadvantages of Draco knowing parseltongue was that it made Harry really hot. He pictured Draco hissing questions as he moved all over his body. But now was not the time and he tried to concentrate on the task at hand.

That pesky speech. If it didn't work he'd grab Draco and Hermione and smack them!

Taking a deep breath, Harry started. He said in a stentorian voice, "The Sorting Hat is not god! Its words are not treasures that must be held sacred through the ages. Its words are just that, the words of a Sorting Hat, which was made to sort students.

"Allow me to express my view that the Founders made a grievous mistake when they separated the population of Hogwarts into four Houses. They created division when there was no need for one. Healthy competition can exist without being bludgeoned into living with like-minded people for seven years, thereby increasing the chance of fostering narrow-mindedness.

"This separation has existed for a thousand years, and it has become too troublesome to maintain. We hear daily 'brave as a Gryffindor,' 'cunning as a Slytherin,' 'faithful as a Hufflepuff,' and 'smart as a Ravenclaw.' We lose sight of the fact that they are human qualities, and we all partake of them. When we reduce all that a human being is, all that they can do, to the words of a device made a thousand years ago… I think it says more about our current lack of ideas than anything else.

"To survive in this Earth we need all those qualities. I can tell you I would be becalmed in hell right now if it weren't for the crazy stratagems devised by a Gryffindor and Slytherin working together; the faith and help offered by Hufflepuff House and the smarts of a Ravenclaw.

"Together we succeed, and disunited we fail. It is as simple as that.

"And if someone tells you they are acting for the greater good, run for the hills like crazy and examine that person. Actions must be judged by themselves, an abhorrent action does not get a free pass just because something good can come up down the line.

"The failed Marriage Law was deemed one of those things 'for the greater good,' notwithstanding the pain and misery it was going to cause. Because the Minister signed it and the _Daily Prophet_ said it was good, people tended to support it. They should have realized that it was all a hoax! An old man's way to retain power. A chimera, something that could drown us if we tied ourselves to it. The concept of 'the greater good' can easily be used to deceive people.

"An interesting Astronomy fact comes to mind. Alpha Draconis is a star in the constellation of Draco. It is a relatively unnoticeable star in the night sky of the Northern Hemisphere. However, it is significant because it has been the North Pole star in ancient times.

"If there are good viewing conditions, the star can be spotted easily in the night sky, due to its location in relation to the Big Dipper part of Ursa Major, the Great Bear.

"For thousands of years the star served as a beacon for growing humanity, a way to find the way home. Then conditions changed, maybe the rotation of the Milky Way or the sun's own movements caused the star closest to true North to change.

"When I think of those people, thousands of years ago, guiding their lives according to the stars, I imagine them fighting, laughing, dying. I can easily imagine their hopes and fears, because I share them: the hope of a better tomorrow, a good family, love, companionship; the fear of death and disease, pain and suffering.

"I imagine a time, 20,000 years hence, when Alpha Draconis will once again be the true North Star. I imagine our descendants, here on Earth or perhaps somewhere else far away. I can imagine their hopes and fears, which would be the same ones we share with our ancestors.

"I think those longings define us, and they create a beautifully intricate tapestry in time. They bind us together in the endless journey of self-discovery that lies at the root of the human condition.

"Until we meet under a different sky, adieu."

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If Harry had any doubts about the quality of the speech he'd prepared, they vanished quickly. People were stomping, applauding the speech. His classmates were thumping him in the back and trying to shake his hand. Harry could see Draco and Hermione cry unabashedly. Even Ron looked moved.

Eventually the tumult subsided, and Sprout gave the diplomas to the students. Hermione looked proud as she approached the Headmistress to receive her parchment. She was wearing a dark blue dress with a light blue bodice.

Harry turned and winked at Ginny. The Weasley girl was wearing an ocher formal dress that complimented her tan, and high-heeled shoes. Harry looked at a thoroughly chastised Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. The older man had lost his trust when he wanted to direct Harry's life. Now the elder Weasleys knew they were on probation.

Bill could not come because he was helping Fleur with the baby. Charlie had work to do at the Dragon reserve. Percy managed to go to the graduation. He was working in the Sports Department, which might seem like a boring place, but had definite potential.

George would not miss this for the world, and the redhead appeared to be having a good time. Sometimes he was withdrawn and moody, but generally he was more talkative and outgoing than before.

After everyone had received their diplomas, the newly minted licensed witches and wizards gathered in the middle of the Garden. They prepared to throw their pointed hats at the sky.

Eventually they launched them, even a reluctant Hermione, and the hats disappeared in midair and never fell to the floor.

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Ginny approached gingerly the Greengrass family: Daphne, Astoria, and their parents. Daphne was sitting next to Justin. The Finch-Fletchleys sat at another table.

Ginny sat down next to Astoria and asked how she was. Astoria was dressed in a kelly green dress that complimented her pale complexion beautifully, she wore golden sandals and had a nice necklace. She replied, "I'm fine, Gin, but won't be for long if I have to listen to another discussion of dumb and dumber about how to name their children. Who cares? Just name them dumbette and dumbinetta and everything'll be all right."

Ginny laughed out loud. Astoria asked her, "What do you plan to do, Gin?"

"Toria, I don't know what to do. The plan was to move in with Harry, marry and have his children, but that is just very unlikely now. Perhaps I will try to gain entrance to a Quidditch team. People tell me I'm pretty good. If I could choose, I would select the Holyhead Harpies, just to spite Ron and his hallowed Chudley Cannons. What about you, Toria?"

Astoria replied, "Dad wanted me to marry Draco. It would be the ideal match for the two families. Trouble is, Draco and I see each other more like a brother and sister. As a matter of fact, our dads were deflated when they learned of our decision."

Ginny asked, "And will Lucius abide by that? Won't he try to force Draco's hand somehow?

Astoria smiled as he replied, "Draco has Lucius at his beck and call. Except, of course, for school, where he had to follow Lucius's orders. Draco was a rambunctious kid, and often got involved in problems; Lucius got him out of them. It must be why he got into so much trouble at Hogwarts, where Lucius couldn't run interference.

"No, Lucius won't put Draco into much trouble, provided that the Malfoy Heir is taken care of."

Ginny asked, "The Malfoy Heir, what do you mean?"

Astoria replied, "You must know about the charms cast by the old blood families to protect the wealth. They demand that the property and money be passed only to the heir in blood. In order for the Malfoy family to continue to exist, Draco must provide an Heir.

"The charms require it. Both Lucius and Draco are too much aware of this point to just blithely ignore it. Draco will take care of it. How he does that is anyone's guess."

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Draco was sitting next to Harry, Susan, Robert, Terry, Pansy and a visibly enlightened Blaise.

Draco asked Pansy, "How does it feel to be back in old England?"

"It feels nice, Draco. I missed certain people and places, who by the way never visited me at all!"

"Come on, Pansy! The one time I was free to visit I had to choose. You and Blaise were in opposite directions, and the information I needed was near to Blaise. Deal with it!"

The former Slytherin snorted delicately and touched her black bangs with her hand. She turned soulful eyes to Terry and asked, "If it had been you, Terry, who would you have chosen, me or common Blaise?"

The former Ravenclaw, knowing better than to incur the wrath of Pansy, answered nervously, "Of course you, Pansy!"

They were startled by the arrival of a bundle of energy known as Hannah Abbott, holding Dean's hand. The former Gryffindor sat down next to Robert, and they fell to discussing soccer strategies to achieve a European World Champion, and whether this would be thwarted as usual by Brazil.

Hannah said, "Won't you cast a cooling charm for us, Harry?"

Harry took out his new wand, which was made of birch and had a dragon heartstring core. Draco had taken to calling it playfully, the 'Younger Wand,' until Harry cast tickling charms on him using his birch wand.

Harry smiled to himself as he remembered Miriam's reaction to this piece of news. The petite Malfoy had said, "Sure, a piece of Conis to go with the Conis you already have." Harry would smile more but he recalled the girl's first attempts to form a smirk. Maybe Lucius was giving her lessons!

At any rate, it was a harbinger of things to come, in Harry's opinion.

Harry cast the spell to create a small breeze, '_Brevis ventulus_.' The temperature duly went down and the students continued talking. Draco motioned for Elias Flint to sit down on a nearby chair. The scrawny Slytherin was seated with his grandparents and the Finch-Fletchleys, and he did not seem to be having a good time. He bade him sit near Terry, and the two mechanical-minded wizards started talking about magical devices and their properties.

Harry invited Ron and Hermione to come over. The former Gryffindors accepted with alacrity. The brunette witch fell to conversing with Susan about healing techniques, while Ron tried to have civil conversations with the group, even with Draco. It was clear that they would not become the best of friends. Still, there was now a truce between Ron and Draco, and maybe with time, the wounds they had inflicted on each other would grow less important.

Draco called across the space separating them, "Hey, Tori! Come on over here! Just get Daphne, Justin and Ginny to move the table magically so it'll connect with ours!"

Draco finally saw a lonely-looking Lavender sitting with her parents, and he called to her, "Lavender, do come and sit with us!"

She replied, "I don't know if I should, Draco."

Draco drawled, "Let me tell you what my inner eye says. It says that if you don't come, I would become so angry as to send a tickling charm – or 10 – your way. Do join us, Lavender; we want to forge new ties between alumni and faculty!"

Lavender finally consented and sat between Hermione and Elias. Hermione was aghast that Lavender was a full-fledged professor at Hogwarts, even if it was in Divination no less, and offered her help if she needed rare manuscripts.

Draco noticed that Elias appeared shy and uncomfortable at the beginning, but Lavender was kind and slowly they got into a lively discussion.

Harry grabbed Draco's hand and said, "Did you imagine it would come to this?"

Draco replied soberly, "I hoped, I prayed. In the darkest moments I imagined something like this, but I promise you something, Harry, the best is yet to come."

Harry tightened his hold and answered nonchalantly, "Just as long as it does not involve a snake biting me and then fighting my evil headmaster, all will be well, as long as I have you by my side, Draco."

Draco smiled, no doubt thinking about the wondrous plans he would put in operation soon to insure their future.

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Jason and Lucius were discussing where to locate their offices. Jason suggested somewhere in the City, while Lucius argued for Diagon Alley. Finally they concluded that since many of their customers would be Muggleborns, they ought to be located in the City.

Lucius commented about Woodgrinder's strange death. The goblin had been found dead, decapitated, in one of Gringott's most secure vaults. Jason asked if the Ministry would take the case.

Lucius answered that it appeared to be an internal Goblin affair. The blond suggested the other Goblins had learned of Woodgrinder's abuse of their trust when he gambled Gringott's future on passing the Marriage Law and seizing the Purebloods' fortunes.

At any rate, the Goblins dealt swift retribution and the Ministry was too weakened from their illusory fight for the Marriage Law to provide common sense.

Lucius promised to nurture his contacts with Muggle politicians, and so did Jason. After all, it was their combined weight that had dealt the decisive blow to the Marriage Law and managed to defeat it in the Commons.

Miriam fidgeted in her chair and it was obvious she wanted to sit with her brother. She raised imploring blue eyes to Lucius and the blond finally conceded defeat. Lucius took Miriam's hand and accompanied her to Draco's table.

The blond nudged closer to Harry and freed space for his sister. Miriam politely thanked her Dad, faintly smirked, and sat down.

Draco looked at his sister, his Harry, his parents and his friends. He wanted to preserve this moment for all time. Love and acceptance had brought him here; it remained to see what occurred down the line.

tbc


	33. Chapter 33

**September 1st, 2017  
King's Cross Station**

Harry espied Ron across from him. The ubiquitous smoke was everywhere. Harry grumbled to himself, _'What is the deal with the smoke?'_ It made him feel like he was in a thought universe somewhere, and not in the real one. He took a look at Ron, still the clueless bloke he used to be. Ron worked in the Ministry, and he had an interesting if a little undemanding job.

Hermione's features had become sharper, more refined, with age. The witch also worked in the Ministry. She had a powerful position overseeing the treatment of non-human magical beings. She had fought tirelessly for the werewolves, the centaurs and the elves. In some of these endeavours, she had been helped by Draco Malfoy and Justin Finch-Fletchley.

Harry had worked as an Auror for some years, until he got tired of his bosses dumping the difficult cases on him, confident that the Man Who Lived would catch the culprits and save them all.

Harry had resigned and thrown a tantrum in his office, which sent his former boss to St. Mungo's. He worked now as a consultant in difficult cases. He usually took three or four cases a year and worked on them, sometimes arriving at unexpected conclusions.

Harry looked beside him and found Ginny. She still looked like a Viking woman, now home from the sailing, now home from the hunt.

Ginny had played professional Quidditch for years. She became a member of the Holyhead Harpies, much to the chagrin of Ron, and continued playing until an accident made her realize her true priorities. Since then she worked as Assistant Coach for the Harpies.

Ron was telling them proudly how he had used the _Confoundus Charm_ on the examiner and had thus passed the test.

A bit later, Ron joked about disinheriting their children if they ended up in Slytherin.

James Potter looked like a miniature red-headed version of… James Potter the Marauder. He was quick to grab the initiative and apparently liked to tease his brother, but he also appeared to be caring. He had red hair like his mother, and his eyes were blue. He was already making waves in the school as a menace to right-thinking teachers and caretakers everywhere. He was a Gryffindor, and proud of that.

Albus Severus Potter looked like a younger version of his father. The unruly hair, the glasses, the diffident gestures. So much like Harry. People tended to underestimate him, which was perhaps what he wanted.

Lily Potter had red hair, some freckles and she acted like a younger version of Ginny. She also had her father's innate Slytherin cunning, which kept her from trouble when the occasional vase or plate got broken and all clues seemingly pointed towards her.

Rose Weasley had great red hair; she had her mother's no-nonsense and sometimes pushy attitude. She also had her mother's love of literature, and they often spent hours discussing books.

Hugo Weasley had the mannerisms of his father, though. His need to explore, to grab attention, to go beyond the confining everyday stuff. He had red hair and freckles.

Then Ron pointed towards Draco. Harry noticed that he had receding hair, which accentuated his chin. Draco realized that the four of them were looking at him, he nodded curtly and walked away, not without glaring once or twice at his son Scorpius, who continued his walk unawares, smirking a little.

While Draco glared at the miniature Draco walking beside him, there was no doubt that Scorpius was his son. The boy had platinum blond hair, and sharp features that one day would age as gracefully as his father's. He also had grey eyes.

Ron talked to Rose and tried to get her to beat Scorpius Malfoy, academically. He pointed out that she had her mother's acumen and could easily do that. Rose agreed superficially. Ron also said that her grandfather would not forgive her if she married a Pureblood.

Harry smirked to himself and thought, _'Maybe because Grandfather Weasley is thinking about the days of yore, when he fought so valiantly for the Marriage Law, this sounds just like his controlling self.'_

Hermione reproached Ron gently.

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Meanwhile, Draco and Scorpius had reunited with Astoria. Then they met Elias and Lavender Flint. The formerly scrawny kid had grown up to be very tall and broad-shouldered. Now he owned the shop Flint, Dervish and Banges in Hogsmeade.

Lavender had been a good teacher of Divination, and if there were no heart-stopping prophecies to speak of, no one complained. They had a daughter called Miranda Flint, and she would start her first year at Hogwarts together with Scorpius and friends.

They were joking with Lavender about teaching Divination by phone, when a whirlwind approached them. It was Justin and Daphne Finch-Fletchley; they deposited their kids with Draco. Justin said, "Take good care of Jacinto, Draco; that's what godfathers are for!"

Daphne seethed, "His name is Hyacinth! Please, Justin, don't take such liberties with his name! Do I call Julian something else, no I don't. So please behave!"

Everyone rolled their eyes. Julian was a 13-year old Gryffindor, much to the chagrin of Daphne and inner glee of Justin. Hyacinth was a 12-year old Hufflepuff. They both had straight dark hair. They got along famously with Scorpius and the rest.

Draco turned to Astoria, noticing how her slim build was accentuated by the black-white skirt-blouse combination the blonde chose. He whispered, "How could you stand living with her when you were growing up?"

Astoria smiled and replied, "She is easy to get along with, Draco. It's only when she is stressed about something that she becomes so punctilious. I guess she realizes her two boys will be at school, far from home."

Draco called out to Justin, "Take care of contacting Mrs. Smith! We'll need her support for the Bill we are preparing for the Wizengamot."

It had taken time, but a Bill had been passed assuring the rights of werewolves. Next in their list had been the rights of centaurs. It had taken them some years, but soon a Bill would be passed with rights favorable to these daunting beings.

Their next goal was intimidating indeed, to safeguard elves' rights. They were fully supported by Hermione in this case. It promised to be a very heavy political battle, given the fact that the elves supplied the labor in wizarding homes and were completely dispossessed. It would take time, but Draco was sure they would win, again.

And just ten years ago, Draco and Hermione had been able to devise and put into effect spells in the Situation Room, ensuring that the abuse of Magical children, whether Pureblood, Halfblood or Muggleborn would be noted and raise an alert.

Of course, then they asked the question, 'Could a spell be enacted to insure that _all_ kids, Magical or Muggle, were protected from abuse?' They did not have the answers, it could take years. They realized they would always face new challenges. Still they would try to face them head on.

Before the Finch-Fletchleys left, they discussed the latest news about their friends in America. Robert and Susan Lehmke lived in Massachusetts, near the MIT Campus, where Robert taught General Physics. They had a 12-year old girl called Tracey Lehmke.

Terry and Pansy Boot also lived in Massachusetts. Terry wrote about physical research in his own blog. They had a 13 year old boy called Douglas Boot. The two couples sent their children to the same American wizardry school in Salem, Massachusetts.

Then Dean and Hannah Thomas walked up to them. They were accompanied by their son Ron Thomas, a 12-year old Slytherin. When Ron Weasley had crowed about the fact they named their son after him, Dean brought him down to Earth saying, "Actually, his name is Ronaldinho, and it is the name of a soccer player."

Hannah had become the landlady of the Leaky Cauldron, and Dean Thomas had an Atelier in London where he prepared his paintings. Dean had become a celebrated painter. His best work, according to Hannah, was that sketch of her he had drawn long ago and which now occupied a honored place in their home.

Hannah, who had stopped dyeing her hair long ago, said hello to the gang and smacked Draco in the arm, saying, "You have not visited me for some time, Draco. But you know where to go to if you have some 'cloak and dagger' stuff." Draco kissed her cheek and then said hello to his godson, Ron.

Draco thanked the fact that his parents were currently visiting the home of his sister's boyfriend in Kent. Miriam was now a stunning 24-year old woman; she had striking blue eyes, framed by thick eyelashes and perfect eyebrows, and luxurious brown hair. She was really beautiful, and he reserved the right as an older brother to watch out for his sister.

Miriam was an artist; she could paint very well, as she gleefully told her brother time and again. She also could write. She wrote moving pieces of original work, and she was good at it.

Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy had aged very gracefully. The Malfoy Matriarch was still slim and poised. If there were some lines on her face, they were mostly laugh lines, and welcomed by her.

Lucius looked imposing, as usual. His hair had become completely white, but he could still present a leonine mane to the world. He could still be as menacing as ever, and it was perhaps fortunate that Miriam's boyfriend was not aware of the fact that his future father-in-law could transform instantly into a giant Polar bear.

James came back with the news that Teddy was snogging Victoire. Later Harry commented that Teddy visited them four times a week, and proposed inviting him to the family. No one saw James and Albus Severus exchange a wry smirk.

Nearing the end of their wait, Ginny hugged James and told him to send her love to Neville. James protested vociferously against this.

Ginny said, "We'll see you at Christmas."

Harry shared with Albus Severus how he was named after a valiant Headmaster of Hogwarts. Harry failed to see Albus Severus's faint sneer.

As the train started, Harry walked outside it, in the Platform, trying to keep his face alongside his son's face, inside the Express.

Ginny said, "He will be all right."

The scar had not pained Harry for many years. All was well.

As the Hogwarts Express started accelerating, Albus Severus heard the sound of the door being closed and locked. Then he felt the effects of an _Immobulus_ spell. He was turned around. He could see a flash of blond hair as a voice drawled, "Long time no see, Potter! Your father has hurt mine for the last time. I will have your hide and there is nothing that famous Harry Potter can do this time!"

As the person continued ranting, Albus Severus could observe how the door's handle was twisted this and that way to gain entrance. The person trying to get in must have realized that it was magically sealed, for they stopped momentarily. Finally, after ten seconds, the door was forcefully opened and a spell launched which downed his attacker.

A new voice drawled mockingly, "Well, well, Sevvie, whatever happened! The git wanted a Chocolate Frog card, you didn't give it and the git went berserk?" Scorpius Malfoy continued taunting Albus Severus Potter while he took off the _Immobulus,_ a task at which he excelled, which the dark-haired boy would grudgingly concede.

"Let's see who is the git, though that blond hair gives me an idea." Scorpius turned the git around and it turned out to be Zebadiah Smith, the son of the detestable Zacharias Smith.

Scorpius continued, "And you were all alone, Sevvie? Where were James and Teddy, snogging someone? In my honest opinion, the lot of you is as dumb as Uncle Weasel!"

Albus Severus moved Smith to a neighboring compartment but left him immobilized until a teacher should find him.

Scorpius sat down as Albus Severus returned. He took out a bag of vintage Chocolate Frogs and started eating some, biting their heads off seemingly nonchalantly. After he had shared his bounty with Sevvie and the brunet boy had proved to be even more ferocious when eating them, Scorpius said, "Not only does Uncle Weasel break his wand, he also fixes it with tape, because he is too cheap to buy another one. Then when a bill collector shows up he tries to _Confound_ him, and the spell backfires on him.

"A_ Confounded_ Weasel looks up and notices the familiar photos that Aunt Hermione has in the walls, and he comes to the conclusion that Dad and Astoria, your Dad and Ginny, are two distinct couples! We have to play this shadow theater so that Uncle Ron does not get more jolts to his small brain. And of course we must play because we have the relentless Aunt Hermione pressuring us to go along!"

Scorpius asked Sevvie if he was done playing the cowed kid. Albus Severus smirked and replied that he was, he was also considering retaliating against James with a prank.

Scorpius smirked and said, "Sure, count me on it! I would really like to see his face; maybe he will look as confused as father when I slipped him the potion to make him lose his hair." Scorpius and Sevvie snickered. No doubt Draco would soon call on Severus's portrait for assistance with his dwindling hair, which would be funny, seeing as how it was the elder Severus's idea to prank his godson this way.

It was no wonder that they were such pranksters, when they saw Lucius and Jason doing their pranking they called politics, and Severus's portrait informed them of the strange reactions of certain potions. Not to mention the example of their fathers and Uncle George.

They certainly had superb smirks, having been taught by the best, Lucius and Severus. Sometimes Harry and Draco would feel threatened by such aggravating smirks.

Sevvie said, "You know, that conversation that Aunt Hermione scripted for me, the one where I asked Dad about Slytherin, has given me an idea." Sevvie smirked, followed by Scorpius.

"What if we get sorted to the House our parents won't expect? Like you in Hufflepuff."

Scorpius interrupted Sevvie, "I'm sorry, Sev, but if I were to get into Hufflepuff, dad would be overjoyed, I think he'd also like it if I made it to Gryffindor."

Sev replied, "Then we'll get into Ravenclaw, just to imagine their faces when they realize their sons are in the house of the learned."

Albus Severus liked being called Sevvie and Sev by the Malfoys and others. It gave him a feeling of being unique. He had grown to love them, even before they became his family. Even his stern namesake, Headmaster Severus.

Scorpius was swearing in Spanish. He didn't know why his father was so intent on him knowing all these foreign languages. Parseltongue was enough for him! He didn't like Spanish and French because of all these confusing accents. Sevvie cursed back in German. Apparently Harry had also been caught in the epidemy of learning languages, or rather, forcing their children to learn them.

The door opened and Rose Weasley and James Potter walked in. James was worried about the younger boys, and had been looking for them for some time.

James had a little time to note how Sev's and Scorp's hands went to their wands. Living with them, he was used to their sneak attacks. Being Harry Potter's son, he also had those uncanny Quidditch genes that seemingly enhanced his reactions. He took out his own wand and dove to the right to avoid Scorp's stunner, he just had a fraction of a second to twist his upper body and evade Sev's Silencio.

Rose frowned. Boys! All they thought about was playing and fighting! As usual, she had to provide the balance. She was of a mind to let Scorpius and Albus Severus win, or even join them; but she abhorred the idea of an unfair fight, so she took out her wand and proceeded to fire spells of her own at Scorpius and Albus Severus.

Things calmed down after an aggravated professor called Lavender Flint turned up and forced them to behave under threat of Detentions and losing house points. After Lavender left, the red-haired girl imperiously took a seat between Scorpius and Albus Severus. She said, "I'm sorry for the way we had to behave today, all because of my pushy parents. I'm sorry you were left alone, Scorp, and I'm sorry you had to act so vapid, Sevvie."

Scorpius replied smoothly, "It's not your fault, Rose, it's Uncle Weasel's fault!"

Sevvie said, "Don't you think saying that to his daughter is unkind, Scorp?"

Scorpius snorted and replied, "I have to suffer the same when Fred Weasley says 'Uncle Ferret.' If they can do it, so can I."

Sevvie asked nonchalantly, "Any idea where you will be sorted, Rose?"

"None, mother would like Gryffindor, of course, as would father."

Sevvie said, "Then join us in Ravenclaw! We've decided not to react to stereotypes, and are planning on joining Ravenclaw. What do you say, Rose?"

The red-haired girl answered with a twinkle in her eyes, "I say yes, to Ravenclaw we go!"

The door was opened once more and Teddy Lupin strolled in. The Metamorphmagus looked very dashing, wearing a dark green robe, dark green trousers and white shirt, together with dragonhide boots. He had a mop of dark hair for the occasion, and his amber eyes looked soulfully at them.

Teddy sat down and took a parchment from his backpack. When he touched the parchment, lines started to appear and fused into the recognizable shape of the Great Hall at Hogwarts. Teddy started, "Draco caught me just before the train left and reminded me to give you this, Scorp. After my time at Hogwarts, it is right that I pass to you the Serpent's Map. As you know, it shows all persons at Hogwarts." Teddy took out another parchment from his backpack and he waved a wand over it, saying, "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good." Presently the Marauder's Map showed the interior of Hogwarts.

Sevvie said, "But this should be with James!"

Teddy answered, "As for that, we were having a poker game, and he used this as collateral and lost. So I get to have it for a time, and I choose to give it to you."

Sevvie glared at James as he said, "If dad ever finds out about it, that would be awful."

Eventually Sevvie grabbed the parchments, intent on putting them away. He put the Marauder's Map on his bag after muttering 'Mischief managed.' Then he grabbed the Serpent's Map, ready to hand it to Scorpius. He noticed that Teddy looked astounded, as did Scorpius.

The Serpent's Map worked with Albus Severus's touch!

Teddy suggested, "Maybe the Map works because Albus Severus belongs to the family."

He continued, "I suppose the Map's magic recognized Albus Severus as a Malfoy, based on ties of love, blood and friendship. Probably it did this long before Draco and Harry got married."

Then Teddy bade Sevvie to open the compartment's window. The English countryside rolled serenely by, leaves showing the effects of autumn, as the wind pushed inside the cabin. He transformed into a beautiful peregrine falcon with sorrowful amber eyes.

The son of Tonks and Remus leaped to the edge of the window, looked at them one last time and then flew away, easily catching the updraft current.

In King's Cross, in Platform 9 ¾, Ron and Hermione finally Apparated away, after Hermione suffered the death glares of Draco and Ginny.

After Ron left, Harry breathed freely and commented that the colorful smoke seemed to be disappearing.

As he looked fondly at Harry, Draco remembered how the gay marriage came to be. It all started with the Patricia Lobato case, where the British courts ruled that the Muggleborn woman was denied her human right to marry whom she pleased, even if he was a werewolf. The Ministry was called to task and most of the upper Ministry workers were forced to resign.

Some time later, a wizard sought to marry another wizard and such an attempt was thwarted. Thereupon the Director of Public Prosecutions took the case. It was handled by a judge who ruled in the wizards' favor, citing the precedent established by the Marriage Law decision and the Patricia Lobato case, where it was decided that the woman could marry whom she pleased. At that moment the clumsy Ministry, politically exhausted by the fruitless war waged around the Marriage Law, was weary of the political weight involved and capitulated gracefully. Gay marriage appeared to be a reality.

Five years before that, Draco had approached the problem of having babies. He suggested to Harry that they should involve the women they were close to and could be wonderful mothers. So they approached Ginny and Astoria, who were living together at that time.

Draco remembered the time when they named Scorpius. An exhausted Astoria was on the bed as she pointed towards a small bundle, which turned out to be his son. He saw his son's grey eyes looking at him and he felt the baby's small fingers pulling on his thumb. He knew then that things would never be the same again, they would be better.

After Astoria heard his suggestion, she started throwing things around with her accidental (or not so accidental) magic.

"Scorpius, Draco! You want to name our son Scorpius! I must say I am glad that Japanese films are not constellations, or you might name our son Godzilla!"

Harry interjected, "I think it is a beautiful name, Tori! It is distinctive and has a certain flair to it; it gives the impression of a Mafia don, living in the Mediterranean shore." Harry couldn't contain himself and burst out laughing.

Draco growled, "Not much of a help, are you Potter!" Then he thwacked him upside the head, but the nervous moment had been broken.

Then there was the time when Harry wanted to name his son 'Albus Severus' amid the outrage of Draco and Astoria. That day, they were all in 12 Grimmauld Place, which did not look foreboding at all, thanks to the combined actions of the Greengrass and Malfoy elves, led by an enterprising Kreacher. Harry had been putting off the naming, knowing how they would react.

He was holding his son, looking into his seemingly infinite green eyes, as green as the Amazon forest, as green as the fields in Ireland.

Astoria said, "Albus Severus! Won't it be confusing for the boy?"

Draco said forcefully, "Why do you want to honor the name of the man who turned you into a horcrux, Potter?"

Harry answered, "Because he was an important part of my life. He directed my thoughts and ultimately helped defeat Voldemort. So he was power-hungry, still he was my mentor for years. I can honor the good parts."

Ginny interjected, "Let him name his son the way he wants, Draco! He's done enough for us, saving us from Voldemort. If he wants to name our son that way, I see no harm."

The blonds finally were convinced by Ginny's reasoning, or maybe it was the way she was fingering her wand and looking at them speculatively.

Three and a half years later, it was Astoria who eyed her wand speculatively as she said desperately, "We have to do something! Our mothers are driving us crazy! Mom and Mrs. Weasley are trying to divvy up the wedding and prepare as much as they can."

Draco said angrily, "They are not the only ones, Mom and Mrs. Weasley are fighting over our wedding, aren't they, Harry."

A worried Ginny said, "Yes, all of them are losing control: Daisy, Narcissa and Molly. We need to do something."

Harry smirked and said, "We need to have a joint ceremony for our weddings. The three witches can discuss that. We will distract them when Hermione and her beautiful baby Hugo come to visit us from time to time."

Draco murmured approvingly, "Mmmh, using your godson as a distracting measure. How Slytherin, Harry!" Then Draco approached Harry and kissed him fiercely.

It was the size of the wedding that caused the most fights. At the end, they decided to prepare something cozy – for the Malfoys. Only 300 people were invited. It was the event of the year, if not the decade. The Man Who Lived got married, and to a Slytherin Pureblooded wizard, the son of known Death Eaters. The papers took it in stride, though, maybe because Harry and Draco had Skeeter where they wanted her, in the palm of the hand.

When the time came to say their vows, Draco only had to look at Harry's glowing face to know that it was worth it, to have this person by his side forever. He said passionately, "I have known your weakest moments, and your strongest ones. I've seen you facing certain defeat and continuing, the weight of the world on your shoulders. I have known the man who laughs, who curses, who stumbles and falls and finally gets up again. I don't need a legal document to tell me what I know: that I belong to you and you belong to me. Together, we are much more than two."

Draco put the Malfoy Ring on Harry's finger.

When it was Harry's turn, he looked at the chiseled face, the grey eyes, and the blond hair of the man he could not live without. He said, "I have also seen you at your weakest moments, Draco. But I could not see you in your strongest hour. I could not, yet your care and love, your ideas and cunning sustained me in that battle. I never saw you, yet I knew I would never be alone, as long as you were by my side. I didn't even need to see you, to feel the weight of the world diminish, as if carried by a strong wind. I know that I've considered you my mate, my succor, my help and husband long before now."

Then Harry put the Potter Ring on Draco's finger.

Their offspring watched from the side: a rambunctious James, and a pair of little devils known as Albus Severus and Scorpius, whom Harry could see smirking and planning something. They were supposedly watched by Justin, George, Percy and Ron, without perceiving that the watching and scheming was generally performed by the kids.

Lily was carried by a vigilant Teddy. Miriam had probably ordered him to do so. The brunette Malfoy liked Lily as a little sister and tended to watch out for her when James and Albus Severus or Scorpius went overboard with her.

Their wedding over, they prepared to officiate that of Ginny and Astoria. Astoria looked wonderful in a beige formal gown created by a couturier in Milan.

Ginny looked amazing in a severe white gown from a top German designer in Hamburg.

Ginny said passionately, looking deeply into Astoria's blue eyes, "You are the epitome of grace and distinction. You are caring and supportive. The best human being I have ever met. You are infuriating sometimes, but you keep me on my toes. I don't have to see to know how beautiful you are. Together we have faced obstacles and persevered. You complete me as the sun completes the spring, as the seed promises the harvest."

Then Ginny put the exquisite Prewett ring on Astoria's finger.

Astoria said, gazing into Ginny's warm hazel eyes, "You are beautiful, tough and resilient. The perfect companion, my love. Since I first met you, I hoped we'd end up together, and we have. Your fiery hair indicates your fiery soul. I will enjoy spending the rest of my life with you, Ginny. I know it will never be dull or boring, because we have each other and our children. You are the flame I turn to when I need warmth, you are my true and only partner."

Then Astoria put one of the Greengrass Rings on Ginny's finger.

They were duly married, and the two couples returned to the Manor to eat the splendid fare, accompanied by their children and friends.

Two years later, Ginny was on tour with her Quidditch team, playing on an American city, when she suffered an accident and was rushed to the hospital. They informed the manager of the team, who duly notified Astoria.

A terrified Astoria came over by portkey, and they refused to tell her the medical news or even visit Ginny because she was not the next of kin.

Frowning and fingering her wand, Astoria took out the copy of the marriage certificate Ginny had insisted she should keep handy, and let the nosy doctor have it.

After a grueling hour spent checking the data, the hospital's spokesperson agreed to let Astoria stay with her wife, and they told her the medical news. Astoria was very grateful that they had gotten married.

Draco finally returned from his reverie, and facing Harry, he said, "Care to go home, Harry?"

Harry replied, "I'm ready as always, Draco."

Ginny, Astoria and Lily would go to Grimmauld Place, and Harry accompanied Draco to their flat near Hyde Park in London.

On Saturday, they were disturbed by a seemingly angry Hermione. The witch opened the door and stomped across the room as she said, "I don't know why I stay with him! It's unbelievable."

She continued, "Ron was ok yesterday. He bounced back from the self-inflicted _Confoundus_ sooner than expected, but he didn't say anything and let us go through that theater, only because it pleased him! What do I see in him?"

Draco replied, "Maybe the fact that you love him, that he is the father of your children. Come on, Hermione, the man likes to prank, he is a Weasley after all. Don't get mad, get even! You should prepare your own prank."

Hermione smirked, "Maybe I should let Dean Thomas paint me and Ron!"

Harry and Draco shuddered. At the time, it had seemed like such a good idea. They contacted Dean so he would paint a picture of them sitting in the Malfoy Library couch. Of course it would be magical.

The painting was done, and it was scheduled to be in the dining room, when they finally noticed the strange behavior of Harry and Draco in the painting. The portraits often fought acridly with each other, and they were wont to do unexpected, amorous things that left little to the imagination.

It would be embarrassing to explain such a painting to their children, so it was moved to a lonely room in the North Wing.

In the fullness of time, the hare-brained plan of Draco's came to fruition. Hermione wrote passionate and entrancing stories about a girl who fights destiny to save her parents' lives, even to the point of making them forget and sending them elsewhere. Her parents read the stories and eventually, there came communication between them, first e-mails, then face to face.

It was a slow, painful undertaking, but Hermione did it methodically. She introduced them to magic and the Wizarding World in incremental steps. Finally she told them the truth, after giving them information about the havoc caused by Voldemort.

Her parents were astounded and it took them some time to get used to this, but eventually they understood and forgave her for her actions, which ultimately saved their lives.

Hermione got to know her parents again. They decided to continue living in Australia. They liked the open space and people there. So Hermione and her family visited them every chance they got and the Grangers, become Wilkes, enjoyed fully the births and growth of their grandchildren Rose and Hugo. They had a cordial relationship with their son-in-law Ron Weasley.

Hermione continued her angry rant, "I don't want to see that git! I'll go to my parents' in Sydney. Hugo will stay with George and Angelina for a while when we return from Australia.

Then Hermione Apparated, presumably to go to her house and get her son and luggage, prior to getting a portkey and traveling to far-off Australia.

Harry said, "Aren't you going to visit the Manor so you can get Sev's help and get your hair back?"

Draco answered, "I'm thinking about leaving it like this. It gives me an air of refinement and authority that I would not have otherwise. Dealing with the political persons that we deal with, appearing wise and all-knowing is a bonus. I don't know, what do you think, Harry?"

Harry gulped and considered what to say. He replied, "I didn't marry you for your hair or lack of it. I married you because I love you. Everything flows from that."

Then the bars of a popular song were heard and Draco took out his cell phone and answered the call. Terry Boot and Robert Lehmke had solved the problem of the electrical field interference in 2009, and now cell phones were common in the Wizarding World, thanks to their patents. Interestingly, it was Blaise Zabini who helped them start a small magical-electrical company. He was a learned MBA from Oxford, and joined Terry and Robert in their quest. He lived in upstate New York, and frequently visited his partners. He married an American witch called Linda Tessin, and they had a six year old boy called Pierre Zabini.

Harry listened to Draco's conversation intently. Draco was saying, "She intends to visit her parents, Weasel. She is incensed by the prank you pulled, and I suggest you make it up to her and grovel for a while, unless you want to spend the next weeks all alone!

"Just do something romantic for her, like taking her to a restaurant or the opera. Something that shows you care for her."

Draco groaned as he ended the call. He said, "I never expected to become a counselor for weasels."

Then a drawling voice said, "You shouldn't have married Harry then, Conis!" Miriam Malfoy smirked as she sauntered into the room. She gave Draco a bear hug and almost suffocated Harry. The petite 24-year old Malfoy looked very good in a dark blue knee-length dress, a shawl and sandals.

Narcissa entered then. The Malfoy matriarch wore a severe black dress, accentuating her blond hair. She kissed Draco and Harry.

Then Lucius sauntered in. He looked like a winter ghost, all white. He wore a white robe and shirt, only his shoes were black.

Miriam said, "You missed all the fun, Conis! My former boyfriend and us were having a good time until he accompanied me to the garden. There he tried to 'heat things up,' I clearly said no, but he didn't want to listen. At least, not until something happened."

Draco said, "Tell me you didn't!"

Narcissa frowned and continued, "He did, Draco. Your father turned into a Polar bear and really scared that boy. We left shortly thereafter. Miriam went to the Manor and I accompanied Lucius by portkey to a Norwegian fjord, where he could get rid of the excess heat."

Just then the doorbell rang, and when Draco opened the door, he found Antonia and Jason Finch-Fletchley waiting outside. After greeting them, he led them inside.

Antonia's ash-blond hair now had streaks of gray, and her face was more lined. She still remained active in the fight to protect children. She, Narcissa and Draco had been responsible for distributing a big chunk of the Malfoy wealth into different charities. They were in the boardrooms of different organizations.

Jason Finch-Fletchley still tugged on his curls when he was nervous. He also had streaks of grey in his hair. He and Lucius coordinated well with his sons and had become the last resource for many people who would not be heard otherwise.

Jason and Lucius had a glass of butterbeer each and reminisced about past cases. Eventually they had to go to their office. They left the flat and Jason drove his car through London.

Narcissa and Antonia left a little while later by portkey to their main offices. There was some concern that the free supply of Wolfsbane could be compromised by Dark wizards.

Draco eyed Miriam speculatively and the brunette, who knew her brother inside and out, had a very good inkling what he was thinking about. She said menacingly, "Don't even dream about it, Conis! You will not set me up with anyone or you will pay the ultimate price!"

Draco was smirking as he thought about his accomplishments as a cupid: Lavender and Elias Flint. Maybe he would find someone for his feisty sister.

Miriam growled, "Stop, or Harry will know all your secrets, like when you wanted to go to Australia in a tanker!"

Draco gulped, and said hurriedly, "I don't intend to set you up with anyone, Mi." Meanwhile he crossed his fingers.

Eventually a somewhat mollified Miriam left for the Manor.

Harry looked at Draco and remembered fondly the years spent together. They'd sure had a stormy start, when their first six years were spent fighting each other. Yet at the end of the war, he discovered something new in Draco Malfoy. In his hour of greatest need, when Harry was trapped, it was Draco who recognized the trap and took steps to liberate him.

In their life together, there had been some fights. In the whole, it was a magnificent life, full of family and love. Truly he had reached the port of his heart's content, and it was called Draco.

Draco looked at his husband and noticed his wistful look. To cheer him up, he had a great idea.

Draco kissed Harry passionately, and the kiss was as eternal as ever. A moment when they forgot about time and space. They concentrated on creating a space filled only with Harry and Draco.

THE END


End file.
